Moving to Germany from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Germany — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to Germany, you would find that Germany is 2.9% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €66,800 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to Germany.
What does your salary buy?
CA$110,000 → €66,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 16.1% more
Groceries
pay 15.0% less
Transportation
pay 37.1% more
Housing
pay 19.7% less
Childcare
pay 5.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada to Germany, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Germany.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Germany generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Germany leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Germany generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Germany than Canada?
Yes — Germany is on average about 3% cheaper than Canada. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €16,700 in Germany on a CA$110,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Germany?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Germany has 45.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Germany safe for expats?
Germany generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to Canada?
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
