Enter the gross annual salary from your offer and pick a city. You see your net pay, a typical rent and how much is left after living costs.
German salaries are quoted as gross per year. Income tax and social security usually take 35 to 45 % of it, so €60,000 gross means roughly €3,100 net per month for a single person. Married couples with one earner pay noticeably less tax thanks to joint assessment (tax class III).
Rents are quoted per square metre and usually without utilities (Kaltmiete). Heating, water and building costs add around €2.50 to €3.50 per m². Munich is by far the most expensive city, Leipzig among the cheapest of the large cities. A common rule: rent should not take more than a third of your net income.
Plan for a deposit of up to three months' cold rent, health insurance if you are self-employed or privately insured, and the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) that every household pays. Public transport is cheap with the Deutschlandticket for all local trains and buses nationwide.
About €3,130 per month for a single person in tax class I without church tax in 2026. A married sole earner in tax class III gets around €3,510.
For a single person renting 50 m² at the average asking rent, from about €80,000 gross a year the rent takes no more than a third of net income. At €60,000 it is over 40 %. Families usually need considerably more or a second income.
Usually without (Kaltmiete). The total with utilities and heating is called Warmmiete and is typically €2.50 to €3.50 per m² higher.