Moving to Virginia from Germany
What to Expect
Considering a move from Germany to Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Germany to Virginia, you would find that Virginia is 33.5% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,374 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $83,859 in Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Richmond averages 70°F vs 56°F in Berlin, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Germany and Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
€65,374 → $83,859
To maintain the same standard of living in Virginia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.8% less
Groceries
pay 51.5% more
Transportation
pay 16.9% less
Housing
pay 50.2% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.4% 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 Virginia cost about 14% 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 Virginia.
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
The numbers behind daily life in Virginia compared to Germany.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Germany performs better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Germany performs better than Virginia 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
Virginia 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 Virginia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Berlin | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) |
Deutscher Wetterdienst
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
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 Virginia than Germany?
On average Virginia is around 12% pricier than Germany, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Virginia?
Budget about $20,965 for 3 months in Virginia (based on a €65,374 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Virginia?
From major Virginia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Germany and Virginia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Virginia compared to Germany?
Germany performs better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Virginia compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Richmond is 70°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Richmond receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Virginia?
The official language in Virginia is English. In Germany, the official language is German.
