Gluehwein prices 2026: mostly 4 to 5 euros
4 min read
Gluehwein prices for the 2026 Christmas season are mostly flat, and in many German cities a cup still costs between 4 and 5 euros. Several regional outlets published price checks in the first ten days of November. The figures from city administrations and market organisers broadly agree, although the exact price differs from stall to stall. Here is what the markets in several big cities charge, how the deposit works, and what changed in the rules this year.
Gluehwein prices in Cologne and Frankfurt
In Cologne, t-online reported on 5 November that the mulled wine is mostly 5 euros per 0.2-litre cup on the big Christmas markets. The organisers of the market at the cathedral said the price would stay stable this year. The Heavenue market charges 4.90 euros and the Neumarkt and the Mediapark markets ask 5 euros. The most expensive cup in that survey is the one at the Stadtgarten, at 5.60 euros.
In Frankfurt am Main the city told t-online that a cup costs between 4.50 and 5 euros this year. The figure was passed on from the city's answer to a request, based on information from the Schaustellerverband, the association of showmen and market traders. t-online updated its Frankfurt report on 10 November.
Gluehwein prices in Stuttgart and the southwest
In Stuttgart a cup of 0.2 litres starts at 3.50 euros, according to the city. Most stallholders ask between 4 and 4.50 euros, and a Winzerglühwein, the mulled wine sold by individual wine estates, costs more. The dpa news agency carried the Stuttgart prices on 8 November, and joyn newstime repeated the same range on 9 November.
The picture is similar in the rest of Baden-Württemberg. Konstanz charges between 4.50 and 5 euros, Mannheim between 4 and 5 euros, and Heilbronn between 4 and 6 euros, with the top price for a version with a shot of spirits added. These figures come from the dpa report and match the ranges given by joyn newstime, so they are the most reliable numbers in this round-up.
Gluehwein prices in Dresden and Bavaria
In Dresden the chairman of the Altmarkt association expects the Striezelmarkt to keep its price of 5 euros per 0.2-litre glass, t-online Dresden reported on 9 November. The chairman is also a stallholder, so the figure is a reading from one market rather than an official price. The city's tender documents for the 2026 market do not state a price.
joyn newstime also lists Leipzig at 4 to 5 euros, Magdeburg at 3.50 to 4 euros and Chemnitz at 4 euros. In Bavaria the average cup costs 4.27 euros, which is 36 cents more than a year earlier, according to a figure from Antenne Bayern quoted by joyn newstime. Munich's Marienplatz market is listed at 5 to 6 euros, and Würzburg at 6 euros.
Deposits and the new alcohol-free Gluehwein
Almost every market charges a deposit, the Pfand, on top of the price of the mug. In Stuttgart it is 3 euros for a classic mug and 5 euros for a stemmed glass, according to dpa. Mannheim uses the same 3 and 5 euro split, while Konstanz and Heilbronn charge 2 euros. At the Neumarkt in Cologne, a two-litre thermos flask costs 45 euros plus a 20-euro deposit, t-online reported.
The rules for the drink itself have changed as well. According to t-online, since this year a drink made from dealcoholised red, white or rosé wine may be sold as "alkoholfreier Glühwein", provided its alcohol content is below 0.5 percent by volume. Before the change, such drinks had to be sold under names such as Glühpunsch or Winterzauber, because traditional Glühwein must contain at least 7 percent alcohol by volume. The change follows an EU rule, but t-online did not give the regulation number and this article does not give one either.
What the Gluehwein prices mean for expats
For a typical evening at a Christmas market, plan on about 4 to 5 euros for one cup in most big cities, and more in Munich or Würzburg. Add the deposit on top. You usually get it back when you return the mug, so keep a few coins ready and do not throw the mug away at the stall. Prices can change between the time a report is written and the day you visit, so check the organiser's website before you go if you are planning a group outing.
If you do not drink alcohol, look for the "alkoholfreier Glühwein" label on the menu rather than the older names. For opening dates and a guide to the markets in your city, see our overview of the Christmas markets 2026.
