Moving to Germany from Spain
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Spain to Germany — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Spain to Germany, you would find that Germany is 35.2% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,850 salary in Spain would need to be roughly €72,221 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Spain to Germany. What does your salary buy? €65,850 → €72,221 To maintain the same standard of living in Germany Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 30.0% more Groceries pay 22.0% more Transportation pay 35.6% more Housing pay 44.2% more Childcare pay 52.0% more Entertainment and Sports pay 42.6% 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 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 13% more than cities in Spain. Compare cities head-to-head 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. How many people actually move from Spain to Germany, based on official data. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Spain to Germany. per 100,000 people per year of residents who feel safe walking alone at night per 100,000 people per year Spain generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. annual government + private spending per person affects wait times and access to care WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access share of adults with obesity per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in healthcare spending per person. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Spain performs better than Germany across all environment metrics. fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work higher means greater strain on freshwater supply annual consumption — reflects grid capacity share of households with internet Germany generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in internet access. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person the highest marginal rate on personal income share of people below the poverty line Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in top income tax rate. average years of life at birth deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better government spending on education as % of GDP Spain generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in education spending. Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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. Spain passport holder visiting Germany Germany passport holder visiting Spain Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. No — Germany is on average about 10% more expensive than Spain. City-level variation matters. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €18,055 in Germany on a €65,850 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). 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. Spain generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night. Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85). The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in. The official language in Germany is German. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Madrid Berlin Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) View all months
Month Madrid Berlin Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, 
Deutscher Wetterdienst Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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