Cost of Living: Berlin vs Brighton (2026)
Germany vs United Kingdom — relocation comparison
Your passport:
Berlin
Brighton
$1,550/mo
Rent
1BR centre
$1,894/mo
5 yr
PR path
5 yr
—
Tax breaks
Open incentive regimes for newcomers
4-year FIG regime (Foreign Income and Gains)
Freelance setup
Freiberufler
- VAT-free under €25k
- €1200/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Sole Trader
- VAT-free under €105k
- 9% social
- €600/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026
TL;DRBerlin is 18% cheaper on rent ($1,550/mo vs $1,894/mo). Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Berlin scores 77 to Brighton's 65 on livability — the gap is real. Brighton has its charms, but the numbers favor Berlin.
Verdict delivered. Your move.
Household
Berlin
Metric
Brighton
$902/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$859/mo
$8,219
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
—
85 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
81 / 100
1.2 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
1.1 / 100k✓
3.3 / 100k