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Germany vs Japan
Japan is {pct} {word} than Germany. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in Japan to match Germany.
Germany vs Japan at a glance — Japan is 15% cheaper than Germany overall. Average net salary: $2,600/mo vs $2,900/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 45%.
| Germany | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost of living index | 111 | 95 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 19% | 10% |
| Social security (employee) | 20% | — |
| Corporate tax | 30% | 30% |
| Capital gains | 26.4% | 20.3% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,900/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Minimum wage | $2,716/mo✓ | $1,300/mo |
| GDP per capita | $60,496✓ | $35,951✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 2.2%✓ | 3.2%✓ |
| Life expectancy | 81 yr✓ | 84 yr✓ |
| Quality of life | ||
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
✓ = official statistics (Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Germany cheaper than Japan?
Japan is about 15% cheaper than Germany overall — its cost-of-living index is 95 versus 111 for Germany.
How much do you need to earn in Japan to live like in Germany?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Germany is worth about $64,099 in Japan. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.