Moving to Germany from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Germany — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Germany, you would find that Germany is 20.9% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €52,800 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Germany cheaper than United States?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 0.7% less
Groceries
pay 25.2% less
Transportation
pay 30.1% more
Housing
pay 40.6% less
Childcare
pay 49.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.1% less
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 Germany?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €52,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
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 Germany cost about 37% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Germany
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.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Germany, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Germany performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
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 performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Germany leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Germany leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Germany generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Germany vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
National Weather Service
Deutscher WetterdienstCan you move from United States to Germany?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United States?
Generally yes: Germany runs about 21% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €13,200 in Germany for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
With 45.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Germany.
Is Germany safe for expats?
Germany performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to United States?
Germany performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 45.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 36.8 in United States. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In United States, the official language is English.
