Moving to Germany from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Germany, you would find that Germany is 3.1 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly €135,891 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from China to Germany.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → €135,891
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 6.4 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 3.4 times more
Housing
pay 4.3 times more
Childcare
pay 17.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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%).
On average, cities in Germany cost about 101% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Germany, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China 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
Germany performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
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
Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in electricity per capita.
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
China 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 performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Beijing | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Required
Germany passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
Day-to-day costs in Germany run about 107% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥508,312 comparable salary, that's around €33,973 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Germany.
Is Germany safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 25.2 in China. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to China?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In China, the official language is Chinese.
