Living in Germany
Salary calculator Germany: Brutto → Netto
See your estimated German net take-home pay (2026) — income tax and social contributions broken down by tax class and state — then check what's left after typical living costs in your city.
A German salary calculator turns your gross (Brutto) pay into net (Netto) take-home by subtracting income tax and social insurance. Most employees in Germany keep roughly 55–65% of their gross salary — the exact figure depends on your income, tax class (Steuerklasse) and federal state. Enter your gross below to see your estimated 2026 monthly net.
Net per month
€3,157
€37,878 per year
Total deductions
36.9%
Monthly breakdown
| Gross | €5,000 |
| Income tax (Lohnsteuer) | −€796 |
| Pension (RV) | −€465 |
| Health (KV) | −€428 |
| Long-term care (PV) | −€90 |
| Unemployment (ALV) | −€65 |
| Net salary | €3,157 |
Cost of living
See roughly what's left after typical single-person costs in:
Estimate only — based on 2026 parameters and the §32a tax formula. Not payroll-accurate or tax advice. Tax classes V and VI are approximated (no basic allowance).
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From gross to net in Germany
German payslips can be a shock: a healthy Brutto (gross) salary shrinks to a smaller Netto (net) once income tax and social insurance come out. This Brutto-Netto-Rechner does the maths in English so you can see your real monthly take-home before you sign a contract, negotiate a raise, or compare an offer between cities.
What gets deducted from your gross salary
- • Income tax (Lohnsteuer) — progressive, based on your tax class.
- • Solidarity surcharge — only above a high threshold for most people now.
- • Church tax — 8–9% of your income tax, if you're registered with a church.
- • Pension insurance (~9.3% employee share).
- • Health insurance (~7.3% + your insurer's add-on).
- • Long-term care (Pflege) and unemployment insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Is this German salary calculator free?
Yes — it's completely free, in English, and needs no sign-up.
What's the difference between Brutto and Netto?
Brutto is your gross salary before tax and social contributions; Netto is your take-home pay after income tax, the solidarity surcharge, and pension, health, care and unemployment insurance. Most employees in Germany keep roughly 55–65% of their gross as net, depending on income and tax class.
How is net salary calculated in Germany?
Your employer withholds income tax (Lohnsteuer, progressive under §32a), church tax if applicable, and your half of the four social insurances — pension (~9.3%), health (~7.3% + an insurer add-on), long-term care (Pflege) and unemployment. This calculator applies the 2026 parameters to estimate what lands in your account.
What are German tax classes (Steuerklassen)?
Steuerklasse (tax class 1–6) sets how much income tax is withheld monthly. Singles are usually class 1; married couples can combine 3/5 or 4/4; class 6 applies to a second job. Your class changes your monthly net (and any refund at year-end), not your total annual tax.
Which year's tax values does it use?
It uses 2026 German income-tax (§32a) and social-insurance parameters. Results are an estimate for orientation, not payroll-accurate — your actual Netto depends on your insurer's add-on rate, church tax and allowances.
How do I work out my monthly net income (Monatsnettoeinkommen)?
Enter your annual or monthly gross (Brutto) above and pick your tax class and state — the calculator returns your monthly net (Monatsnettoeinkommen) after income tax and the four social insurances. As a rough rule of thumb, a single person on tax class 1 keeps around 60% of their gross as monthly take-home.
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