DE flag
Bonn

Germany

vs
DE flag
Dortmund

Germany

Climate

Bonn logs 8 hot days a year to Dortmund's 5 — Dortmund wins by 3. Bonn also leads on frost days by 3.

BonnDortmund
Sunny days
131128
Hot days
85
Frost days
3134
Rain days
164170
Snow days
34
Outdoor dinner months
4/124/12
Avg wind
3.2 m/s3.6 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,7321,661
Darkest month sun
33 hrs/mo32 hrs/mo
UV peak month
5.05.0

Bonn

Feels-like °C

-6
-2
1
7
16
22
21
23
17
8
2
-3

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Dortmund

Feels-like °C

-6
-3
1
7
16
21
20
22
15
8
1
-4

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Dortmund is $325/mo cheaper

Bonn runs about $2,386/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Dortmund's $2,061/mo — Dortmund comes in $325 cheaper each month, roughly 16% less.

Bonn

$2,386

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,848Comfort $3,919
Top 75%in Among 217 Europe cities

Dortmund

$2,061

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,570Comfort $3,190
Top 56%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

Bonn and Dortmund score neck-and-neck on mobility (2.8 vs 2.8, 0–5 scale).

2.8/5
vs
2.8/5
BonnDortmund
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyMotorbikeAirport
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyMotorbikeAirport

Culture

Bonn's culture score of 3.2 sits well above Dortmund's 2.2, with the biggest gap on history museums. Dortmund still holds an edge on live music venues.

3.2/5
vs
2.2/5
BonnDortmund
HistoryTheatre
TheatreVenuesNightlife
Bonn leads

Nature & Outdoors

Bonn's nature & outdoors score of 4.0 sits well above Dortmund's 3.5, with the biggest gap on forest access. Dortmund still holds an edge on lakes & rivers.

4.0/5
vs
3.5/5
BonnDortmund
ForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingClimbing
ForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeach
Bonn leads

Safety

Bonn's safety score is ~1.2× Dortmund's — in the upper band, while Dortmund lands in the upper band, with the biggest gap on property crime safety.

4.3/5
vs
3.5/5
BonnDortmund
Flooding
Bonn leads

Career

Bonn's career score of 3.1 sits well above Dortmund's 2.9. Dortmund still holds an edge on economic scale.

3.1/5
vs
2.9/5
BonnDortmund
JobsCoworking
JobsEconomyCoworking
Bonn leads

Social & Community

Bonn and Dortmund score neck-and-neck on social & community (2.8 vs 2.7, 0–5 scale).

2.8/5
vs
2.7/5
BonnDortmund
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishMulticultural MixUrban EnergyGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Bonn leads

Food & Dining

Bonn and Dortmund score neck-and-neck on food & dining (2.6 vs 2.6, 0–5 scale).

2.6/5
vs
2.6/5
BonnDortmund
VeganDelivery
VeganDelivery

Family

Bonn and Dortmund score neck-and-neck on family (2.5 vs 2.6, 0–5 scale).

2.5/5
vs
2.6/5
BonnDortmund
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceries
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceries
Dortmund leads

Healthcare

Bonn and Dortmund score neck-and-neck on healthcare (3.7 vs 3.7, 0–5 scale).

3.7/5
vs
3.7/5
BonnDortmund
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare

Air Quality

Bonn averages 9.1 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Dortmund's 10 µg/m³ (good) — Bonn breathes ~9% cleaner air (0.9 µg/m³ lower).

Bonn

Dortmund

9.1µg/m³
10.0µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Good
Good

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Bonn (756K) and Dortmund (710K) sit at a similar population scale.

~1x

These cities are similar in overall scale

Combined population & area comparison

DE flagBonn
1.1x
DE flagDortmund
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.DE flagBonn756K1.1x
2.DE flagDortmund710K1x
Area
1.DE flagBonn274 km²1.1x
2.DE flagDortmund254 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
23 km30 km

DE flagBonn

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
22 km26 km

DE flagDortmund

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Bonn vs Dortmund

Which is cheaper, Bonn or Dortmund?
Dortmund is approximately $325 per month cheaper. Bonn averages $2,386/mo while Dortmund averages $2,061/mo.
How does the climate compare between Bonn and Dortmund?
Sunny days: 131 vs 128 d — Similar Annual sunshine: 1,732 vs 1,661 hrs — Similar Winter sunshine: 33 vs 32 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 8 vs 5 d — Similar Frost days: 31 vs 34 d — Similar Rainy days: 164 vs 170 d — Similar Snowy days: 3 vs 4 d — Similar
Is Bonn or Dortmund safer?
Bonn scores higher on safety. Bonn rates 4.3/5 while Dortmund rates 3.5/5, based on street safety, property crime rates, and natural hazard exposure.
Should I move to Bonn or Dortmund?
Bonn and Dortmund are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Dortmund is generally more affordable, while Bonn may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Bonn and Dortmund stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

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