Germany is a realistic move from Kazakhstan if you match a residence route to your situation early. The short version: a one-bedroom rents for about €1,100 a month in the bigger cities, typical net salaries run around €2,500, personal taxes sit at 14-45%, and permanent residence usually takes about 5 years of legal stay. Here is how the move actually works for Kazakhstani citizens.
Getting in: your route options
As Kazakhstani citizens you need a visa even for short visits, so plan the paperwork early. For an actual move you need a residence permit tied to a reason; the visit visa and the residence process are separate tracks.
- Remote work: Germany has no dedicated digital nomad visa. No nomad visa, but the Freiberufler (freelance) residence permit is a well-trodden route for self-employed remote workers.
- Work: a job offer plus a work permit; for higher-paid qualified roles ask employers about the EU Blue Card, which speeds up residence across most of the bloc.
- Study: university admission converts into a student permit, usually with part-time work rights and a post-graduation job-seeker option.
- Family and ancestry: joining an EU spouse or partner, or claiming citizenship by descent if you have an EU-citizen parent or grandparent.
What life in Germany costs
Budget roughly €1,100 for a one-bed plus about €1,030 for essentials and transport, per person. English friendliness scores 65/100 here.
Healthcare here rates 85/100 in this model and everyday safety 80/100, while public transport comes in at 88/100.
Paperwork is the hard part: Germany scores 80/100 for bureaucratic friction, so budget real time for registrations and appointments.
The rental market is tight (75/100 pressure), so line up viewings before you land.
The local language (DE) takes steady effort, rated 45/100 for approachability.
Coming from Kazakhstan, one thing worth knowing early: Germany has a large, long-established Russian and Ukrainian speaking community, so shops, schooling advice and paperwork help are easy to find in your own language.
What you would pay in tax
If you keep earning from abroad and register as self-employed, Germany charges same brackets on profit; no flat regime, plus own health insurance ~15-20% of profit (capped); pension optional for most.
Kleinunternehmer status only simplifies VAT, it is not an income-tax break.
Germany is workable but not built around remote earners, rated 65/100. The full picture, including the company route and the special regimes, is on the taxes in Germany page, and the take-home index ranks all 27 countries on what actually reaches your account.
The long game
Permanent residence in Germany takes about 5 years of legal residence, and citizenship about 5 years from arrival, subject to language and integration requirements. If an EU passport is part of your plan, weigh this timeline against neighbouring countries before you commit.