57 cities compared · 2026

🇩🇪 Germany vs 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

United Kingdom costs 18.8% more and purchasing power drops 7.2%. Your money buys less across the board.

+18.8%

Cost of Living

+50.7%

Rent

+1.4%

Groceries

+16.5%

Restaurants

-7.2%

Purchasing Power

Compared to Germany. Green = cheaper or better in United Kingdom. All indices relative to NYC = 100.

Every Category, Side by Side

Averaged across 57 cities. All indices relative to NYC = 100.

Category	🇩🇪 Germany	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Diff
Cost of Living	45.2	53.7	+18.8%
Rent	22.1	33.3	+50.7%
Groceries	65	65.9	+1.4%
Restaurants	69.6	81.1	+16.5%
Purchasing Power	139.2	129.2	-7.2%

What You Actually Keep After Taxes

Same gross salary, different tax systems. Annual take-home pay in Berlin vs London.

Gross	🇩🇪 Net in Germany	🇬🇧 Net in United Kingdom	Diff
€40,000 ≈ £34,000	€26,893	£28,000	+€5,879
€60,000 ≈ £51,000	€37,561	£40,138	+€9,417
€80,000 ≈ £68,000	€48,049	£49,998	+€10,469
€100,000 ≈ £85,000	€58,030	£59,858	+€12,028

Single person, no children. Tax rates for Berlin and London (2026). Try the full calculator

Tax Calculators

See detailed income tax brackets and net salary calculations for Germany and United Kingdom.

🇩🇪

Germany Tax Calculator

Income tax rates, brackets & net salary

🇬🇧

United Kingdom Tax Calculator

Income tax rates, brackets & net salary

These are averages. What about your salary?

Enter your exact numbers and see your real take-home pay in both countries.

Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

Top Cities in Each Country

National averages hide a lot. These are the cities most people actually move to.

🇩🇪

Germany

City	CoL	Rent	PP
Berlin	51.6	34.4	124.7
Munich	56.8	38.2	136.8
Frankfurt	52.1	32.8	148.8
Hamburg	51.4	28.7	140.3
Mainz	50.8	23.1	128.6

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

City	CoL	Rent	PP
London	78.9	65.4	118.2
Manchester	56	37.2	121.8
Edinburgh	55.3	35.3	123.2
Birmingham	52.3	28.9	169.9
Cambridge	61	44.4	140.8

City-to-City Comparisons

See exact take-home pay for specific cities between Germany and United Kingdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is United Kingdom more expensive than Germany?

United Kingdom is 18.8% more expensive than Germany overall. Rent is 50.7% higher, and groceries are 1.4% more expensive. These figures are averages across 23 cities in United Kingdom and 34 cities in Germany.

Which country has better purchasing power, Germany or United Kingdom?

Germany has an average purchasing power index of 139.2 while United Kingdom has 129.2 (NYC = 100). Germany offers better purchasing power, meaning your salary goes further relative to local prices.

Is rent cheaper in Germany or United Kingdom?

Average rent in Germany has an index of 22.1 vs 33.3 in United Kingdom (NYC = 100). Rent in United Kingdom is 50.7% higher than in Germany.

How many cities are compared between Germany and United Kingdom?

Our comparison covers 34 cities in Germany and 23 cities in United Kingdom, with data on cost of living, rent, groceries, restaurants, and purchasing power.