Ukrainians in Germany were named the most expensive cities to live in.

Cost of living in different regions of Germany

The German Economic Institute in Cologne and the Federal Institute for Urban Affairs BBSR in Bonn conducted a study to examine the cost of living in different regions of Germany. The study's results made it clear that the cost of living in the country is relatively uniform, with smaller differences between the city and the countryside than in many other countries.

The biggest difference is observed in housing costs. In some rural regions, the cost of living is 10% below the national average, while in Munich it is 24% higher. A square meter of rented apartment in Munich costs 81% more than the national average.

It is worth noting that Berlin, despite its capital status, is only in 29th place on the list of the most expensive cities in Germany, where the cost of living is 6.4% above the average. This is due to lower prices in East Berlin.

Munich remains the most expensive city in Germany.

In East Germany, the overall cost of living is 4% lower compared to the west. However, in Potsdam, prices are the highest among the major cities in East Germany, where the cost of living exceeds the national average by 7.5%.

The study also showed that in rural areas, the cost of living is on average 3.5% lower, and in sparsely populated regions - 5% less. However, the difference is not as significant as one might expect.

Experts note that prices for most goods, such as furniture, clothing, and food are almost the same across the country. This is explained by the policies of large retail chains and discounters who do not differentiate prices by region. In addition, the high inflation of the past year has led to a uniform increase in prices across the country without significant regional differences.

The main factor influencing the cost of living in different parts of Germany is the cost of rented housing.

Thus, the only effective way to significantly reduce costs is to move to a region with lower housing prices.