Moving to Pennsylvania from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Germany to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Germany to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 19.1% more expensive than Germany overall. A €67,000 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $89,400 in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania cheaper than Germany?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.4% less

Groceries

pay 29.9% more

Transportation

pay 23.4% less

Housing

pay 44.8% more

Childcare

pay 2.5 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.3% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (November 2026)

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 Pennsylvania?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $89,400

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania cost about 4% more than cities in Germany.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Germany to Pennsylvania.

Moved in 2023
4,430 ↑ 6% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Pennsylvania compared to Germany.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

DE
20.6%
PA
34.4%

Germany performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

DE
93.5%
PA
88.8%

Germany performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.7%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$60,496
PA
$61,506

Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Germany across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

DE
80.8 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs

Germany performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in Pennsylvania vs Germany

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Philadelphia Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
65° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Philadelphia
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 74°/54°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Philadelphia
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from Germany to Pennsylvania?

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

Germany passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Germany passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Germany without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than Germany?

On average Pennsylvania is around 19% pricier than Germany, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Budget about $22,350 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Pennsylvania?

From major Pennsylvania cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Germany and Pennsylvania are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Germany?

Germany performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Germany?

The average high temperature in Philadelphia is 65°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Philadelphia receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?

The official language in Pennsylvania is English. In Germany, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

DE
Population 83,491,249 13,059,432
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911