Moving to Wisconsin from Germany
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Germany to Wisconsin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Germany to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 19.9% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,374 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $70,612 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Germany to Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
€65,374 → $70,612
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 16.3% less
Groceries
pay 19.1% more
Transportation
pay 28.5% less
Housing
pay 17.2% more
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.7% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Germany to Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Germany performs better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Germany performs better than Wisconsin 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
Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Germany performs better than Wisconsin 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 | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Berlin | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°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 Wisconsin than Germany?
Yes — Wisconsin is on average about 6% cheaper than Germany. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,653 in Wisconsin on a €65,374 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Wisconsin?
Usually fine from major cities in Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin compared to Germany?
Germany performs better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Germany?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Wisconsin?
The official language in Wisconsin is English. In Germany, the official language is German.
