Thinking about moving to Germany? This overview pulls together how it compares across the things that shape daily life: cost, language, safety, healthcare and the route to staying long term. In MoveMap’s model, Germany stands out for strong public transport, a quicker path to citizenship and quality healthcare, while it is worth weighing a less remote-ready setup, a heavier tax burden and heavier bureaucracy.
Germany at a glance
Tap any metric to see what is behind the number.
Cost of living75/100
Cost of living here sits among the pricier EU countries. As rough monthly figures, a typical net salary is around €2500 and a one-bedroom rent runs about €1100 a month. Your real budget depends heavily on the city and your lifestyle.
English65/100
English gets you a long way in cities and with younger people. Everyday admin and smaller towns often expect the local language, so some learning helps a lot.
Safety80/100
This is a MoveMap score out of 100 (higher is safer), so 80/100 means safe: everyday crime is low and the main cities feel comfortable, including at night, with normal precautions.
Healthcare85/100
Scored 85/100 in MoveMap's model (higher is better). A strong universal system with good access and quality; most needs are covered publicly.
ClimateCold
Cold winters and warm summers, with four distinct seasons. Typical daytime highs: winter around 3°C, spring 15°C, summer 24°C, autumn 14°C. Figures are approximate and vary by region.
Citizenship~5 yrs
On the ordinary residence route you can usually apply for permanent residence after about 5 years, and for citizenship after about 5 years of continuous legal residence. Marriage to a citizen or ancestry can be much faster. Most countries also require a language test (commonly around B1) and some restrict holding two passports, so confirm Germany's current rules and dual-citizenship stance.
Taxes14-45%
Personal income tax: Progressive 14-45% (+5.5% solidarity above thresholds, church tax optional). As a freelancer: Same brackets on profit; no flat regime. Company owners: ~29.9% effective (15% CIT + solidarity + ~14-17% municipal trade tax), dividends 26.375% incl. solidarity. Rates as of July 2026. Tax rules change every budget cycle and depend on your personal situation: verify with a licensed tax advisor before acting.
Where Germany stands out
Relative to the other 26 EU countries, Germany scores best for:
- Strong public transport.
- A quicker path to citizenship.
- Quality healthcare.
Worth weighing before you move
Every country has trade-offs. For Germany, keep an eye on:
- A less remote-ready setup.
- A heavier tax burden.
- Heavier bureaucracy.
Is Germany right for you?
These are general patterns. Whether Germany actually fits depends on your income, work, family, documents and what you want from a move, and the right city matters as much as the country. The quickest way to see where Germany lands for your situation is the MoveMap check.