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Cost of Living

Contents

  • Cost of Living
    • Food
      • Vegetables and Fruits
      • Meat / Fish
      • Convenience Food
      • Other Food
      • Asia
      • Milk-based Food
      • Sweets and Snacks
    • Medicine and Food Supplements
    • Household Items
    • Household - Usage
    • Apartment
    • Energy
      • Electricity
      • Heating
    • Transportation
    • Internet
    • Broadcasting Fees
    • Subscriptions

We are currently experiencing an inflation. I'm not sure if the price increases for everyday goods are already over, but I'll make another "snapshot" of what I see. I wrote the first cost of living in 2019.

I'm writing this from Germany, close to Munich. Most of the groceries are from Aldi, Lidl, or DM.

In order to detect shrinkflation, I'll always add the amount.

This is work in progress.

There are multiple reasons for the price increases:

  • The Russo-Ukrainian War: Especially sunflower oil is affected by this, but also energy prices are driving everything else up.
  • Cooperations increasing their margins

Food

Food Price in 2023 Base-Price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Sunflower Oil, 1L 2.69 € 2.69 €/L +172%
Rapsöl 2.49 €/L 2.49 €/L +57%
Extra Native Olive Oil, 750ml 4.99 € 6.65 €/L +39%
Wheat Flower Type 405, 1kg (Weizenmehl) 0.79 € 0.79 €/kg +107%
Eggs (Eier) 3.29 €/18 pieces oder 1.99 €/10 pieces 1.83 €/10 pieces - 1.99 €/10 pieces +43%
Salz 0.29 € / 500g 0.58 € / kg +53%
Honey, 500g 3.79 € 7.58 €/kg +97%
Rice (Jasmin Reis) 2.49 € 2.49 €/kg +32%
Margarine 0.99 €/250g 3.96 €/kg +164% (actually more, I switched from Letta to Vita D'or)
Geflügel-Kochschinken 1.69 €/200g 8.45 €/kg ?
Brotbackmischung 1.39 €/kg 1.39 €/kg +62%
Trockenbackhefe 0.75 € / 42g 17.86 €/kg -
"Müsli" (Nougat/Granola Bits) 2.99 €/750g 3.99 €/kg +50%
Müsli 2.29 €/kg 2.29 €/kg ?

Vegetables and Fruits

Food Price in 2023 Base-Price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Salad (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Eisbergsalat) 1.79 €/piece 1.79 €/piece +265%
Broccoli, 400g 1.49 € 3.73 €/kg +116%
Zucchini 1.24 € 3.29 €/kg +270%
Pears (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Birnen) 1.49 € 3.73 €/kg +25%
Apples (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Äpfel) 1.89 €/2kg 0.95 €/kg +7%
Bananas (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Bananen) 1.29 €/kg - 1.99 €/kg 1.29 €/kg - 1.99 €/kg -28% to +176%
Grapes (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Trauben) 1.45€/500g - 1.99 €/500g 2.90€/kg - 3.98 €/kg +/ 0
Mango 1.00 €/piece 1.00 €/piece +1%
Scharlotten 1.49 €/500g 2.98 €/kg ?
Dattelcherrytomaten 2.39 €/500g 4.78 €/kg -20%
Gehackte Tomaten in a tin can 0.85 €/400g 2.13 €/kg +77%
Corn in a tin can (Mais) 0.99 €/285g 3.47 €/kg +47%
Garlic (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Knoblauch) 0.89€/200g 4.45€/kg +/- 0
Spring onion (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Frühlingszwiebeln / Lauchzwiebeln) 0.34€/piece 0.34€/piece - 42% (but I have the impression the bundles became smaller)
Chili 2.40€/100g 24.00€/kg +67%
Chili Flocken 2.29€/45g 50.89€/kg -
Pfefferkörner 6.59€/165g 39.94 €/kg -
Weißer Rettich 1.49€/piece 1.49€/piece ?
Sauerkirschen 1.79€/350g Abtropfgewicht 5.11€/kg Abtropfgewicht ?
Peppers (Paprika) 3.95 €/kg 3.95 €/kg ?
Bio Limetten 1.99 €/kg 1.99 €/kg ?
Zitronen 0.99 €/750g 1.32 €/kg ?
Gurke 0.95 €/Stück 0.95 €/Stück -

Meat / Fish

Item Price in 2023 Base-Price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Hähnchenschnitzel 3.99 €/500g - 4.99€/500g 7.98 €/kg +19%
Chicken Cordon Bleu, 500g 4.49 € 8.98 €/kg +24%
Chicken Dumstick (Hähnchen Unterkeule), 600g 3.49 € 5.82 €/kg ?
Chicken Minced Meat, 400g 2.99 € 7.48 €/kg
Chicken (Hähnchenflügel) 2.79 €/500g 5.58 €/kg ?
Chicken (Hähnchenbrustfilets) 5.39 €/600g 8.98 €/kg ?
Minced Meat (Rinderhackfleisch) 6.99 €/800g; 4.49€/400g 9.98 €/kg +38%
Geflügelbratwurst Bruzzlkracher 3.99 € / 350g 11.40 €/kg -
King Prawns (Riesengarnelen) 3.69 €/225g 16.40 €/kg -18%
Alaska Seelachs Filet Knusperfilets Ofenfisch / MSC Schlemmerfilet Bordelaise 3.19 €/400g 7.98 €/kg +60%
Tuna in tin (Thunfisch in der Dose) 1.49 €/150g Abtropfgewicht 9.94 €/kg +51%

Convenience Food

Stuff you can reasonably make by your own, but might want to buy for convenience.

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019 Self-made in 2023 Convenience fee
White Bread 1.19 €/500g 2.38 €/kg ? 1.31 €/kg (Recipe) +1.07 €/kg (+82%)

Other Food

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019
White Bread 1.19 €/500g 2.38 €/kg ?
Gulaschsuppe in a tin can, 400g 1.69 €/400g 4.23 €/kg -43%
Pizza dough + tomato sauce 2.29 € - +114%
Blätterteig 0.99 €/275g 3.60 €/kg -
Curly Fries (Pommes) 1.99 € / 750g 2.65 € / kg ?
Sweet Fries (Süßkartoffelpommes) 1.89 € / 500g 3.78 € / kg +12%
Goulash Soup in a tin can, 400g 1.69 € 4.23 €/kg ?
Pesto, 190g 1.29 € 6.79 €/kg ?
Knorr Fix / Maggi Gewürzmischung 0.39 € / package 0.39 € / package +39%
Fried Onion (Röstzwiebeln) 0.99 € / 150g 6.60 € / kg +30%
Buttergemüße 0.79 € / 300g 2.64 € / kg +39%
Instant Sweat Tea (Zitronentee) 1.59 €/400g 3.98 €/kg -
Salsa Dip 1.19 €/280g 4.25 €/kg -
Pfannengericht (Paella / Bami Goreng) 3.49 €/750g 4.65 €/kg +16%

Asia

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019
ABC Kecap Manis 3.55 €/ 600ml 5.92 €/L -
Austernsauce 1.75 €/ 255g 6.86 €/kg -
COCON Kokosgel-Würfel (Nata de Coco) 3.55 €/ 426g Abtropfgewicht 8.33 €/kg -
Tofu 1.45 €/ 400g 3.62 €/kg -
Tempee 1.50 €/ 395g 3.80 €/kg -
Moichi 2.29 €/ 210g 10.90 €/kg -

Milk-based Food

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Milk (1.5% fat, Milch), 1L 1.05 € 1.05 €/L +62%
Kondensmilch, 7.5% 0.99€/340g 2.91/kg -
Whipped Cream (Süße Sahne /Schlagsahne) 1.09 €/200g 5.45 €/kg +73%
Joghurt (Pfirsch / Vanille / Erdbeer) 2.29 €/kg 2.29 €/kg ?
Grana Padua Cheese (Käse), gerieben 2.49 €/150g 16.60 €/kg -14%
Mozzarella Cheese (Käse), gerieben 2.59 €/125g 20.72 €/kg +354%
Mozzarella Cheese (Käse), am Stück 0.99 €/125g 7.92 €/kg +74%
Limburger Cheese 2.19 €/200g 10.95 €/kg +84%
Frischkäse (Ananas Frischkäse-Ring) 1.59 €/125g 12.72 €/kg +66%
Grillkäse / Pfannenkäse 1.79 €/200g 8.95 €/kg
Camembert 2.79 € / 4 pieces 2.79 € / 4 pieces +40%

Sweets and Snacks

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Doppelkeks 1.29 €/500g 2.58 €/kg -
Leibniz Kekse 1.49 €/200g 7.45 €/kg -
Eis Waffelhörnchen 1.69 €/6 pieces 0.28 €/piece -
Sandwich Eis 2.19 €/6 pieces 0.37 €/piece -
Paradiescreme Mischung 0.59€/pieces 0.59€/pieces -
Chips 1.49 €/200g 7.45 €/kg ?
Tortilla Chips 1.49 €/300g 4.97 €/kg -
Backmischung (Muffins / Kuchen) 1.89 €/package 1.89 €/package ?
Doppelkeksrolle 1.29 €/package ? ?
Fruchtgummis (vegan) 0.99 €/package ? ?

Medicine and Food Supplements

Item Price in 2023
Protein Powder (vegan), 300g 6.95 €
Vitamin C Tablet, 20 pieces 0.45 €
Cough Sweets (Klosterfrau) 3.15 €
Hustenstiller 4.45 €/125ml
Rizinusöl 4.45 €/100ml
Durchfalltabletten 6.95 €/20 pieces
Wick Medinait 180ml 19.99 €/180ml
Em Eukal Kinder Hustenbonbons 1.50€/75g

Household Items

Item Price in 2023 Base-price in 2023 Increase since 2019
Garbage Bags, 75 pieces à 10L 0.95 € 1.27 €/ 100 pieces
Garbage Bags, 30 pieces à 25L 0.85 € 2.83 €/ 100 pices -26% πŸŽ‰
Garbage Bags, 20 pieces à 50L 0.75 € 3.75 €/ 100 pieces
Backpapier (braun), 30 pieces à 38x42 cm 1.15 €/ 30 pieces à 38x42 cm 3.84 €/ 100 pieces +25%
Küchentücher, 2-Lagig 3.79€ / (8x 54 Blatt) 0.88 €/100 Blatt +19%

Household - Usage

Name 2023
Spannbettlaken (2m x 1m x 15cm, Jersey) 7.99 €
Spannbettlaken (2m x 1m x 15cm, Feinbiber) 8.99 €

Apartment

For two people, you will need about 60m². We had to move at the worst time and pay a rent of 1600 €/month (including heating and other service charges) for a 66m² apartment with a 12m² balcony and a cellar. As half of the area of the balcony is typically counted, we pay about 22.22 €/m². The center of Munich is about 19km away.

Energy

This depends heavily on the region and on the time of the year.

Electricity

My wife and me need a bit less than 1800 kWh/year. In my region, the cheapest contract for 1800 kWh/year is:

  • Base price: 124.80 €/year
  • Energy price: 0.3367 €/kWh

That makes about 731 €/year in total.

Heating

Energy Source Energy amount per base unit Price per base unit Price per kWh Heat Usage in Germany (2020)
Gas - - 0.12 EUR/kWh (source) 49.5%
Oil 9.8 kWh/L 1.15 EUR/L (source) 0.12 EUR/kWh 25.0%
District Heating - - 14.1%
Electricity 1 kWh (heat) /kWh (electricity) - 0.34 €/kWh 2.6%
Electric Heat Pump (COP=4.2) 4.2 kWh (heat) /kWh (electricity) - 0.08 €/kWh 2.6%
Wood pallets 4.8 kWh/kg 375 EUR/ 1000 kg (source) 0.08 EUR/kWh Less than 6%

A typical German appartment needs about 150 kWh/(m² * a). If you have 80m² that means you need 12,000 kWh in a year. Assuming 0.12 EUR/kWh that is 1440 EUR per year for heating.

Transportation

  • Diesel: 1.768 EUR/L (source). A VW Golf 7 uses about 5.6 L/100km. That makes 9.90 EUR/100km.
  • Super E10: 1.727 EUR/L (source). A VW Golf 7 uses about 5.4 L/100km. That makes 9.33 EUR/100km.
  • Munich Monthly Ticket ("Isar Card Zone M"): 63.20 EUR. Assuming a daily commute of 40 km + 50km on a saturday, that makes about 1070 km per month. Meaning the ticket costs about 5.90 EUR/ 100 km
  • Bavarian Day Ticket: 27 EUR for one person + 9 EUR for each additional person. Assuming you travel about 150km with it, that makes 18 EUR/100km for one person and + 6 EUR / 100 km for every additional person.

Internet

If you are over 27 and if you make good use of portals to get good deals, the best you can get with DSL connections (no volume limitations, average price per month if you make a 2-year contract, assuming you have your own router) is:

  • 100 MBit/s downstream: 30.16 €/month
  • 250 MBit/s downstream: 37.07 €/month
  • 500 MBit/s downstream: 67.49 €/month

Faster connections are not available. Prices for (TV) cable connections are cheaper, but I had several times bad experience with their reliability.

Broadcasting Fees

Although we don't use it, we have to pay broadcasting fees ("Rundfunkgebühren"). Currently, that is 22.94 €/month.

Subscriptions

We only use Netflix, but here is an overview:

Video Streaming:

  • Netflix: 17.99 €/month
  • Disney+: 8.99 €/month
  • Amazon Prime: 8.99 €/month

Audio Streaming:

  • Spotify: 9.99 €/month
  • Amazon Music: 8.99 €/month
  • Apple Music: 10.99 €/month

Published

Feb 11, 2023
by Martin Thoma

Category

My bits and bytes

Tags

  • Money 7

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