Choosing between the cafeteria and cooking need not produce the same answer every day. The comparison depends on the meal needed, where you will be and which ingredients are already available. Compare a specific university day rather than two general ideas of inexpensive food.
Check the actual cafeteria price
Use the current menu of your local cafeteria and the price category that applies to you. Check what is included and whether drinks or additions cost extra. Another university's prices are not a dependable benchmark. Opening hours matter too: an affordable meal is of little use if it cannot be reached between classes.
For home cooking, calculate the ingredients actually used. A package making four portions should not be charged entirely to one meal if the others are eaten. Conversely, planned leftovers are not savings if they are later discarded. A realistic comparison uses actual consumption.
Include time and equipment
Consider whether cooking is possible before or after the university day. Missing containers or storage facilities belong in the plan. The trip home can affect the decision as well. There is no need to invent an hourly wage for personal time; establish whether the option fits the day.
In an invented example, ingredients costing €7.20 make three portions that are all eaten. That is €2.40 per portion before other costs. It describes a meal calculation, not a general market price. If only one portion is used, the economic result changes substantially.
Choose a weekly mix
You might plan cafeteria meals on long campus days and prepared food on others. After a week, check whether that arrangement worked. A small adjustment to the timetable is often more useful than deciding never to buy a meal away from home.
If the cafeteria remains unaffordable despite planning, ask the local Studierendenwerk about available support and its conditions. Local schemes vary. For the budget itself, compare real prices and meals you can actually use instead of turning one inexpensive dish into a rule for all food spending.
