Planning for 2027? Read the income-tax reform proposal and its current status. This calculator continues to use the 2026 parameters shown below.
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. A single employee keeps about 71% of a €30,000 salary and about 57% of €120,000 — 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
€3,150
€37,799 per year
Total deductions
37.0%
Monthly breakdown
| Gross | €5,000 |
| Income tax (Lohnsteuer) | −€793 |
| Pension (RV) | −€465 |
| Health (KV) | −€438 |
| Long-term care (PV) | −€90 |
| Unemployment (ALV) | −€65 |
| Net salary | €3,150 |
Cost of living
Compare estimated net pay with a budget example for one employed adult:
Rent uses Q2 2026 asking cold rents + €3/m² for running costs and heating. Other spending uses €746.36/month in planning allowances. Enter your actual costs in the living-cost calculator.
Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft auf Basis der VALUE MarktdatenbankEstimate 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.
Net salary for common gross salaries in 2026
| Gross / year | Net / month: single, class I | Net / month: married, class III, children | Net / month: married, class IV, children | Kept (class I) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 (€2,500/mo) | €1,769 | €1,971 | €1,780 | 71% |
| €40,000 (€3,333/mo) | €2,241 | €2,541 | €2,255 | 67% |
| €50,000 (€4,167/mo) | €2,695 | €3,045 | €2,712 | 65% |
| €60,000 (€5,000/mo) | €3,130 | €3,533 | €3,150 | 63% |
| €70,000 (€5,833/mo) | €3,549 | €4,013 | €3,571 | 61% |
| €80,000 (€6,667/mo) | €4,004 | €4,545 | €4,025 | 60% |
| €100,000 (€8,333/mo) | €4,836 | €5,575 | €4,854 | 58% |
| €120,000 (€10,000/mo) | €5,712 | €6,670 | €5,730 | 57% |
Computed with the calculator above: 2026 tax and contribution rules, no church tax, the average health-insurance add-on of 2.9%. Class I assumes no children (so the childless care surcharge applies). Your payslip will differ by your insurer's add-on, church tax and allowances.
The 2026 figures behind the calculation
- • Basic tax-free allowance (Grundfreibetrag): €12,348 a year, under § 32a EStG.
- • Pension insurance: 18.6% of gross, half paid by you, on earnings up to €101,400 a year.
- • Unemployment insurance: 2.6%, half paid by you, up to the same €101,400.
- • Health insurance: 14.6% plus your insurer's add-on (average 2.9%), shared with your employer, on earnings up to €69,750.
- • Long-term care: 3.6%, with an extra 0.6% paid by employees without children, up to €69,750.
- • Solidarity surcharge: 5.5% of income tax, but only once your income tax exceeds €20,350 a year (single) — so most employees pay none.
Frequently asked questions
Is this German salary calculator free?
Yes — it's completely free, in English, and needs no sign-up.
What do Brutto and Netto mean in English?
Brutto means gross and Netto means net. Brutto is your 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. Single employees on tax class I keep about 71% of a €30,000 gross salary as net, falling to about 57% at €120,000, because income tax is progressive.
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, 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. For example, a single person on tax class I earning €50,000 a year takes home about €2,695 a month.
How much is €50,000 gross after tax in Germany?
About €2,695 a month (€32,337 a year) for a single person on tax class I without church tax, in 2026. A married main earner on tax class III with children takes home about €3,045 a month. These are estimates from the calculator above, not a payslip.
How much is €60,000 gross after tax in Germany?
About €3,130 a month (€37,561 a year) for a single person on tax class I without church tax, in 2026. A married main earner on tax class III with children takes home about €3,533 a month. These are estimates from the calculator above, not a payslip.
How much is €100,000 gross after tax in Germany?
About €4,836 a month (€58,030 a year) for a single person on tax class I without church tax, in 2026. A married main earner on tax class III with children takes home about €5,575 a month. These are estimates from the calculator above, not a payslip.
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