CostTrek

Compare

Berlin vs Stuttgart

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 Stuttgart, DE at a glance — Stuttgart, DE is 1% cheaper than Berlin, DE overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,150/mo versus $1,400/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Stuttgart, DE, you'd need

$74,276 / year

Stuttgart, DE is 1% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Stuttgart, DE vs Berlin, DE)

  • Housing-2%
  • Food & groceries-2%
  • Transport+1%
  • Utilities-3%
  • Healthcare0%
  • Goods & services0%

How Berlin, DE and Stuttgart, DE compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Berlin, DEStuttgart, DE

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

Full comparison

Berlin, DEStuttgart, DE
Cost of living
Overall cost index110109
Housing122120
Food108106
Transport8586
Utilities132128
Healthcare9595
Goods & services106106
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,400/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,000/mo$850/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,800/mo$2,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,500$6,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$910$919
Inexpensive meal$15$15
Monthly transit pass$55$100
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%45%
VAT / sales tax19%19%
Social security (employee)20%20%
Corporate tax30%30%
Capital gains26.4%26.4%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,900/mo$2,900/mo
Minimum wage$2,200/mo$2,200/mo
GDP per capita$60,496$60,496
Inflation (annual)2.2%2.2%
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyHighHigh
Coworking spaces12025
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+1
Quality of life
Safety index6070
Healthcare index7884
Pollution index5542
Internet speed120 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability8874
Public transport9080
Family-friendly6874
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy81 yr81 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+1 °C+1 °C
July avg+19 °C+20 °C
Sunny days / year60110
Rainfall / year570 mm680 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1 h

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

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 Stuttgart

Germany's car-industry heartland (Mercedes and Porsche are born here) — an affluent, hilly city ringed by vineyards with high wages and a strong engineering job market. Costs sit near the German top end, just below Munich, and housing is tight.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
German
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
70/100
Climate
❄ 1°C · ☀ 20°C · 110 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Mitte · West · Süd · Bad Cannstatt

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Berlin to Stuttgart: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Berlin to Stuttgart, your cost of living will be roughly 1% cheaper. Stuttgart’s cost-of-living index is 109 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 Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is about 1% cheaper than Berlin overall — its cost-of-living index is 109 versus 110 for Berlin.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Berlin is worth about $74,276 in Stuttgart. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Berlin or Stuttgart?

Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (45%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.

More comparisons from Berlin

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