Childless Couple, €90,000: Savings vs Lifestyle
A couple with a combined income of €90,000 and joint taxation (Ehegattensplitting — spousal income splitting) nets about €4,976/month (2026). After rent on a central two-bedroom flat and other expenses, disposable income is €2,990 in Hamburg and €3,374 in Dresden. The €384/month difference is a choice between city life and how fast you save.
Disposable income by city
Calculation: the couple's net (€90,000, splitting, IV/IV model) minus central 2BR rent (Kaltmiete, excluding utilities) minus the couple's other expenses. Net in Saxony (Leipzig, Dresden) is €26 lower because of the Pflegeversicherung (long-term-care insurance) surcharge.
| City | Net | Rent 2BR | Disposable income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburg | €4,976 | €1,100 | €2,990 |
| Cologne | €4,976 | €1,010 | €3,080 |
| Leipzig | €4,950 | €700 | €3,364 |
| Dresden | €4,950 | €690 | €3,374 |
Disposable income = net − 2BR rent − the couple's other expenses. Other expenses (food, utilities, two Deutschlandtickets (nationwide transit passes), insurance) are a fixed model figure, about €886, the same in every city.
What drives the difference: central rent
Net pay is almost identical — splitting works nationwide. The gap comes from central 2BR rent. Hamburg (€1,100) and Cologne (€1,010) are pricier; Leipzig (€700) and Dresden (€690) are noticeably cheaper.
A childless couple more often chooses the centre over a commuter district: less space is needed, and proximity to work, cafés and nightlife matters more. So the calculation uses central 2BR rent, not the outskirts.
Savings vs lifestyle
Dresden and Leipzig leave €3,364–3,374/month — high savings potential. Hamburg and Cologne leave €2,990–3,080, but give you what many couples pay for: large media and corporate markets, restaurant variety, a cultural scene, major airports nearby.
This is not a ranking but a trade-off. The €384/month difference = €4,608 a year. One couple channels it into savings, another into the city where they want to live now.
Example: Hamburg vs Dresden
One couple, combined income €90,000, a rented central 2BR.
| Item | Hamburg | Dresden |
|---|---|---|
| Net/month | €4,976 | €4,950 |
| − Rent 2BR (central) | −€1,100 | −€690 |
| − Couple's other expenses | −€886 | −€886 |
| = Disposable income | €2,990 | €3,374 |
Dresden leaves €384/month more. In return, Hamburg offers a port metropolis: media, logistics, Airbus, a broad job market for both partners. Dresden is a Baroque centre and Europe's largest chip cluster, but outside the chip industry the job market is narrower.
Which city fits whom
- Priority — savings — Dresden, Leipzig: disposable income €3,364–3,374, affordable central rent.
- Priority — both partners' careers — Hamburg, Cologne: broad job market, varied city environment.
- Both work in a narrow industry — check whether there's a market for the second partner: in Dresden it's tied to the chip cluster.
FAQ
This is not legal or financial advice.
What does splitting give a couple? Ehegattensplitting (spousal income splitting) taxes half the combined income and doubles the result. When the partners' incomes differ, this often lowers the total tax.
Why is net pay almost the same across cities? Tax and contributions are federal. Only the Saxon long-term-care surcharge differs — €26/month for the couple. The wallet difference comes from rent.
Does splitting work without marriage? No. Ehegattensplitting is available to spouses and registered partnerships. An unregistered couple is taxed separately.
Sources
- Bundesministerium der Finanzen — Ehegattensplitting and the §32a EStG 2026 schedule, Grundfreibetrag €12,348, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/estg/__32a.html (2026)
- Wohnungsbörse — Angebotsmieten 2BR (Kaltmiete) by city, https://www.wohnungsboerse.net/mietspiegel (2025–2026)
- Deutschlandticket — €63/month fare from January 2026, https://www.deutschlandticket.de (2026)
- GKV-Spitzenverband / § 55 SGB XI — Pflegeversicherung rates, higher employee share in Saxony, https://www.gkv-spitzenverband.de (2026)
This is not legal or financial advice.
Calculate for your couple
The calculator recomputes net with splitting and disposable income for your city. Compare cities under the "couple" scenario.
2BR rent across all cities is in the cost-of-living pillar.