Calculator: Compare Cities for Your Situation
The interactive calculator estimates how much money you keep each month in each of 25 major German cities — adjusted for your life situation. The same €50,000 salary leaves roughly €856/month less in Munich than in Chemnitz; for a family with a child the gap shifts again because of Kita (childcare) costs.
What the calculator covers
| Situation | What it accounts for |
|---|---|
| Student | WG room (shared flat), Semesterticket, health insurance, Sperrkonto budget |
| Single professional | 2026 net salary, 1BR rent, Deutschlandticket €63 |
| Couple | Splitting (joint taxation), 2BR rent |
| Family with kids | Kindergeld €259/child, city-specific Kita cost, 3BR rent |
| Benefits (Bürgergeld) | Regelsatz + KdU limits (rent caps) vs. actual market rent |
| Retiree | Net pension after health and long-term-care contributions |
Net pay uses 2026 parameters: the income tax tariff (§32a EStG), social insurance contributions, and the 2.9% average Zusatzbeitrag. In Saxony, employees pay 0.5pp more for long-term-care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) — the calculator accounts for it.
Where the data comes from
Rents are median asking prices (wohnungsboerse.net, 2025–2026). Salaries are Bundesagentur für Arbeit medians (2024). KdU limits come from municipal Jobcenter publications. The full source list is in the pillar article.
All figures are estimates for orientation — not financial advice and not a recommendation to relocate.