Climate

Dortmund logs 5 hot days a year to Frankfurt am Main's 18 — Dortmund wins by 13. Frankfurt am Main also leads on outdoor-dinner months by 1.

DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Sunny days
128140
Hot days
518
Frost days
3441
Rain days
170146
Snow days
44
Outdoor dinner months
4/125/12
Avg wind
3.6 m/s2.7 m/s
Sunshine hours
1,6611,787
Darkest month sun
32 hrs/mo28 hrs/mo
UV peak month
5.05.2

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

Frankfurt am Main

Feels-like °C

-5
-1
3
8
17
24
23
25
19
10
3
-2

Dinner outside

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

Cost of Living

Dortmund is $535/mo cheaper

Dortmund runs about $2,061/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Frankfurt am Main's $2,596/mo — Dortmund comes in $535 cheaper each month, roughly 26% less.

Dortmund

$2,061

monthly · balanced

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

Frankfurt am Main

$2,596

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $2,009Comfort $4,337
Top 82%in Among 217 Europe cities

Mobility

On mobility, Frankfurt am Main scores 4.2 vs Dortmund's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on flight connectivity.

2.8/5
vs
4.2/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyMotorbikeAirport
WalkabilityTransitCyclingCar EfficiencyMotorbikeFlightsAirport
Frankfurt am Main leads

Culture

Frankfurt am Main's culture score of 3.7 sits well above Dortmund's 2.2, with the biggest gap on arts & culture.

2.2/5
vs
3.7/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
TheatreVenuesNightlife
TheatreVenuesNightlife
Frankfurt am Main leads

Nature & Outdoors

Frankfurt am Main's nature & outdoors score of 4.2 sits well above Dortmund's 3.5, with the biggest gap on mountain access. Dortmund still holds an edge on beach lifestyle.

3.5/5
vs
4.2/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
ForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeach
MountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingClimbing
Frankfurt am Main leads

Safety

Frankfurt am Main's safety score of 3.9 sits well above Dortmund's 3.5, with the biggest gap on flooding safety. Dortmund still holds an edge on wildfire safety.

3.5/5
vs
3.9/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Flooding
Frankfurt am Main leads

Career

Frankfurt am Main's career score of 4.0 sits well above Dortmund's 2.9, with the biggest gap on career opportunities.

2.9/5
vs
4.0/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
JobsEconomyCoworking
JobsEconomyStartupsCoworking
Frankfurt am Main leads

Social & Community

Frankfurt am Main's social & community score of 3.1 sits well above Dortmund's 2.7, with the biggest gap on expat-first community. Dortmund still holds an edge on urban energy.

2.7/5
vs
3.1/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Everyday EnglishMulticultural MixUrban EnergyGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishExpat-First CommunityMulticultural MixStreet AtmosphereGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Frankfurt am Main leads

Food & Dining

On food & dining, Frankfurt am Main scores 3.2 vs Dortmund's 2.6 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on brunch availability.

2.6/5
vs
3.2/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
VeganDelivery
RestaurantsBrunchVeganDelivery
Frankfurt am Main leads

Family

On family, Frankfurt am Main scores 3.5 vs Dortmund's 2.6 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools.

2.6/5
vs
3.5/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceries
Intl SchoolsUniversitiesAmenitiesSportPlaygroundsGroceriesGymYogaSpaTennis
Frankfurt am Main leads

Healthcare

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

3.7/5
vs
3.7/5
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare
Public HealthcarePrivate Healthcare

Air Quality

Dortmund averages 10 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Frankfurt am Main's 9.5 µg/m³ (good) — Frankfurt am Main breathes ~5% cleaner air (0.5 µg/m³ lower).

Dortmund

Frankfurt am Main

10.0µg/m³
9.5µg/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.

Dortmund (710K) and Frankfurt am Main (916K) are 1.3x in population — Frankfurt am Main is the larger metro, Dortmund the smaller; on land area Dortmund spans roughly 1.3x more ground.

~1x

These cities are similar in overall scale

Combined population & area comparison

DE flagDortmund
1x
DE flagFrankfurt am Main
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.DE flagFrankfurt am Main916K1.3x
2.DE flagDortmund710K1x
Area
1.DE flagDortmund254 km²1.3x
2.DE flagFrankfurt am Main193 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
22 km26 km

DE flagDortmund

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
24 km15 km

DE flagFrankfurt am Main

Who Thrives Here

Dortmund favours the budget-conscious, while Frankfurt am Main suits the cosmopolitan. Both cities work well for the escaping weather.

Thrives in both
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Thrives only in Dortmund
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Thrives only in Frankfurt am Main
DortmundFrankfurt am Main
Struggles in both
DortmundFrankfurt am Main

Frequently asked about Dortmund vs Frankfurt am Main

Which is cheaper, Dortmund or Frankfurt am Main?
Dortmund is approximately $535 per month cheaper. Dortmund averages $2,061/mo while Frankfurt am Main averages $2,596/mo.
How does the climate compare between Dortmund and Frankfurt am Main?
Sunny days: 128 vs 140 d — Frankfurt am Main higher Annual sunshine: 1,661 vs 1,787 hrs — Frankfurt am Main higher Winter sunshine: 32 vs 28 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 5 vs 18 d — Dortmund lower Frost days: 34 vs 41 d — Dortmund lower Rainy days: 170 vs 146 d — Frankfurt am Main lower Snowy days: 4 vs 4 d — Similar
Is Dortmund or Frankfurt am Main safer?
Both cities have similar safety profiles, scoring around 3.5/5 on our aggregate safety index covering street safety, property crime, and natural hazards.
Should I move to Dortmund or Frankfurt am Main?
Dortmund and Frankfurt am Main are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Dortmund is generally more affordable, while Frankfurt am Main 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 Dortmund and Frankfurt am Main 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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