Moving to Germany from Israel

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Israel to Germany — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Israel to Germany, you would find that Germany is 2.7% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪227,786 salary in Israel would need to be roughly €54,123 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°F vs 72°F in Jerusalem, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Israel to Germany.

What does your salary buy?

₪227,786 €54,123

To maintain the same standard of living in Germany

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 3.8% less

Groceries

pay 1.4% more

Transportation

pay 14.4% more

Housing

pay 10.1% more

Childcare

pay 8.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.2879 EUR (July 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.

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 Germany cost about 15% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ashqelon 68%
Holon 65%

Germany

Munich 66%
Frankfurt 63%
Hamburg 63%
Oldenburg 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
2,618 ↑ 22% vs 2022

people moved from Israel to Germany · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Germany?

Top countries of origin for Germany's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
DE
0.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IL
80%
DE
72%

Germany generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IL
37.1
DE
45.2

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
DE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
DE
6.9t

Israel performs better than Germany across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.4
DE
45.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
DE
35.4%

Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.4%
DE
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$48,300
DE
$61,900

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
83.3 yrs
DE
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
3.6
DE
3.2

Israel generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in infant mortality.

Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Berlin
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Berlin
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
Israel passport holders can enter Germany without a visa.
Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting Israel

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

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 Germany than Israel?

Yes — Germany is on average about 17% cheaper than Israel. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Germany?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €13,531 in Germany on a ₪227,786 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Germany?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Germany has 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Germany safe for expats?

Germany generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Israel?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Israel leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 37.1 in Israel. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL DE
Population 8,914,885 84,316,622
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +49
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 112