European cities ranked by disposable income after rent

A report by the Deutsche Bank Research Institute, titled ‘Mapping the World’s Prices 2026’, examines the disposable income of dual-income households in 28 European cities after paying rent for a three-bedroom apartment in the city center.

Swiss cities lead the rankings in terms of remaining income. Zurich, despite having the highest rent at €5,502, provides the highest disposable income of €9,140 due to its high net salaries. Geneva follows closely with €8,783 remaining per month. Luxembourg ranks third with €5,890.

The report highlights how rent costs significantly impact remaining wealth. For example, while Birmingham has lower salaries than London, couples in Birmingham retain €5,238 monthly after rent, compared to only €3,148 in London, largely because London's city-center rents are substantially higher. At the other end of the spectrum, Lisbon shows the lowest disposable income among the studied cities, with only €253 remaining per month.