Moving to Illinois from Germany
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Germany to Illinois — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Germany to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 15.5% more expensive than Germany overall. A €67,000 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $86,700 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Illinois cheaper than Germany?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 9.1% less
Groceries
pay 23.2% more
Transportation
pay 23.5% less
Housing
pay 42.2% more
Childcare
pay 85.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Illinois?
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → $86,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →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 Illinois cost about 4% more than cities in Germany.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Illinois
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Germany to Illinois, based on official data.
people moved from Germany to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
18.534,203
Germany
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Germany to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Germany performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Germany performs better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Germany performs better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Illinois vs Germany
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Berlin | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) |
Deutscher Wetterdienst
National Weather ServiceCan you move from Germany to Illinois?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Germany passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Germany
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 Illinois than Germany?
No — Illinois is on average about 15% more expensive than Germany. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $21,675 in Illinois on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
Usually fine from major cities in Illinois. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Germany?
Germany performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Chicago is 59°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Chicago receives around 36.9 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
The official language in Illinois is English. In Germany, the official language is German.
