🇩🇪 Germany · #105 of 538 cities · 2026

Should I Move to Cologne?

29.1% cheaper than NYC — and purchasing power is very strong.

Run the calculator below with your actual salary to get a personalised answer.

-29.1%
vs NYC
EUR 662
Estimated rent in
EUR 2,688
Net take-home
Very strong
Purchasing Power

Source: Numbeo · NYC = 100 baseline · Data verified Q1 2026

Personalised Answer

Compare your salary — move to Cologne?

Example: EUR 50,000 gross/year in Germany → EUR 2,688/month net after tax (35.5% effective rate). Full Germany tax breakdown → →

The numbers

Cost breakdown — Cologne

Cost indices vs NYC = 100

Cost of Living
70.9 Moderate
Rent
25.8 Very affordable
Groceries
66.0 Moderate
Restaurants
71.1 Moderate
Purchasing Power
138.8 Very strong

Estimated rent in Cologne

1-BR — City centre EUR 662/mo
1-BR — Outside centre EUR 497/mo
3-BR — City centre EUR 1,153/mo
Save by going outside centre ~25% cheaper

Estimated from rent index. Actual prices vary.

Tax reality

Germany take-home pay

EUR 50,000 → EUR 2,688/Net take-home (35.5% effective rate, single filer)

Full Germany tax calculator →

Similar options

Considering alternatives?

Cities in the same country or region with a comparable cost of living.

🇩🇪 Heidelberg
Germany
CoL index 71.3
🇩🇪 Erfurt
Germany
CoL index 70.4
🇩🇪 Dusseldorf
Germany
CoL index 71.5

Ready to run the numbers?

Enter your salary and current city. Get exact take-home pay in Cologne after tax — in seconds.

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