CostTrek

✦ Compare

Berlin vs Minneapolis

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Berlin, DE vs Minneapolis, MN at a glance — Minneapolis, MN is 5% cheaper than Berlin, DE overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,450/mo versus $1,400/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Minneapolis, MN, you'd need

$71,088 / year

Minneapolis, MN is 5% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Minneapolis, MN vs Berlin, DE)

  • Housing-11%
  • Food & groceries-6%
  • Transport+21%
  • Utilities-27%
  • Healthcare+11%
  • Goods & services-3%

◎ How Berlin, DE and Minneapolis, MN compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Berlin, DEMinneapolis, MN

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Berlin, DEMinneapolis, MN
Cost of living
Overall cost index110104
Housing122109
Food108101
Transport85103
Utilities13296
Healthcare95105
Goods & services106103
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,400/mo$1,450/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,000/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,800/mo$2,600/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,500$3,800
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$910$960
Inexpensive meal$15$18
Monthly transit pass$55$96
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%37%
VAT / sales tax19%0%
Social security (employee)20%7.7%
Corporate tax30%21%
Capital gains26.4%20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,900/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage$2,716/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$60,496✓$90,027✓
Inflation (annual)2.2%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyHighNative
Coworking spaces12040
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6965
Safety index6055
Healthcare index7882
Pollution index5535
Internet speed120 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8870
Public transport9058
Family-friendly6870
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy81 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+1 °C-8 °C
July avg+19 °C+23 °C
Sunny days / year60198
Rainfall / year570 mm800 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Germany vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Berlin vs Minneapolis — in your currency

BerlinMinneapolis
1-bed rent, city centre$1,400$1,450
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,000$1,150
Inexpensive meal$15$18
Monthly transit pass$55$96
Utilities (monthly)$250$160

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Berlin

Germany's creative and startup magnet — still the cheapest major Western-European capital, though rents are climbing fast.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
German
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
60/100
Climate
❄ 1°C · ☀ 19°C · 60 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Kreuzberg · Mitte · Neukölln

Good to know before you move to Minneapolis

High quality of life, strong jobs and lakes everywhere — winters are seriously cold.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ -8°C · ☀ 23°C · 198 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
North Loop · Uptown · Northeast

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Berlin to Minneapolis: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Berlin to Minneapolis, your cost of living will be roughly 5% cheaper. Minneapolis’s cost-of-living index is 104 versus 110 for Berlin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Berlin cheaper than Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is about 5% cheaper than Berlin overall — its cost-of-living index is 104 versus 110 for Berlin.

Which is more expensive, Berlin or Minneapolis?

Berlin is more expensive than Minneapolis. Its cost-of-living index is 110 vs 104 (US = 100) — about 6% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Berlin or Minneapolis?

Rent is cheaper in Berlin — about $1,400/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,450 in Minneapolis.

How much do you need to earn in Minneapolis to live like in Berlin?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Berlin is worth about $71,088 in Minneapolis. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Berlin or Minneapolis?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in Germany.

◷ More comparisons from Berlin

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.