Moving to Wisconsin from Germany

moving to

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 6.0% more expensive than Germany overall. A €67,000 salary in Germany would need to be roughly $79,600 in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin cheaper than Germany?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 10.5% less

Groceries

pay 14.5% more

Transportation

pay 33.0% less

Housing

pay 27.2% more

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.2% 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 Wisconsin?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $79,600

To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin cost about 3% more than cities in Germany.

Wisconsin

Appleton 61%
Kenosha 58%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Wisconsin

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Germany to Wisconsin, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Germany to Wisconsin.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

DE
20.6%
WI
37.8%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

DE
93.5%
WI
89.5%

Germany performs better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.7%
WI
3.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$60,496
WI
$59,333

Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

DE
80.8 yrs
WI
77.7 yrs

Germany performs better than Wisconsin across all family life metrics.

Weather in Wisconsin vs Germany

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Milwaukee Rain: 34.8 in/yr (883 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Milwaukee
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 35°/21°F (1°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 65°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 76°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 46°/32°F (8°/0°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Milwaukee
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 29°/16°F (-1.7°/-9.1°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 33°/19°F (0.3°/-7.1°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 42°/28°F (5.8°/-2.4°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 54°/37°F (12.1°/2.9°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 65°/47°F (18.3°/8.1°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 75°/57°F (24.1°/13.9°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 80°/64°F (26.7°/17.5°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 78°/63°F (25.8°/17.2°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 71°/55°F (21.8°/12.7°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 59°/43°F (15.2°/6.2°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 46°/32°F (7.8°/0.0°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 33°/20°F (0.4°/-6.6°C)

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

Can you move from Germany to Wisconsin?

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 Wisconsin than Germany?

No — Wisconsin is on average about 6% more expensive than Germany. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,900 in Wisconsin on a €67,000 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 Milwaukee is 55°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Milwaukee receives around 34.8 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.

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At a Glance

DE
Population 83,491,249 5,972,787
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911