France costs 1.8% more and purchasing power drops 14.5%. Your money buys less across the board.
Compared to Germany. Green = cheaper or better in France. All indices relative to NYC = 100.
Every Category, Side by Side
Averaged across 41 cities. All indices relative to NYC = 100.
| Category | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇫🇷 France | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living | 70.4 | 71.7 | +1.8% |
| Rent | 23.5 | 23.7 | +0.9% |
| Groceries | 68.6 | 81.4 | +18.7% |
| Restaurants | 67.5 | 69.6 | +3.1% |
| Purchasing Power | 129.9 | 111 | -14.5% |
What You Actually Keep After Taxes
Same gross salary, different tax systems. Annual take-home pay in Berlin vs Paris.
| Gross | 🇩🇪 Net in Germany | 🇫🇷 Net in France | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| €40,000 | €26,453 | €29,601 | +€3,148 |
| €60,000 | €36,938 | €41,087 | +€4,149 |
| €80,000 | €47,279 | €52,644 | +€5,365 |
| €100,000 | €57,580 | €64,201 | +€6,621 |
Single person, no children. Tax rates for Berlin and Paris (2026). Try the full calculator
Tax Calculators
Enter your exact numbers and see your real take-home pay in both countries.
Calculate Your Take-Home PayTop Cities in Each Country
National averages hide a lot. These are the cities most people actually move to.
| City | CoL | Rent | PP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin | 73.6 | 34.6 | 111.7 |
| Munich | 79.3 | 40.1 | 129.6 |
| Frankfurt | 73.1 | 34.6 | 137.1 |
| Hamburg | 71.8 | 29.7 | 131.3 |
| Karlsruhe | 75 | 24.3 | 117.4 |
| City | CoL | Rent | PP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 79.3 | 40.3 | 108.5 |
| Lyon | 72.9 | 22.1 | 120.4 |
| Marseille | 74.5 | 21.7 | 90.5 |
| Toulouse | 71.3 | 19.6 | 112.7 |
| Nice | 76.4 | 27.3 | 93.4 |
City-to-City Comparisons
See exact take-home pay for specific cities between Germany and France.
FAQ
Related Country Comparisons
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