Purchasing Power Comparator
Compare your salary's purchasing power across German, Austrian and Swiss cities side by side.
- Eurostat price index
- 25+ DACH cities
- PDF export
- Guide: International Salary Comparison →
Enter your salary and select cities to compare purchasing power
This purchasing-power calculator is for the practical expat question: is a higher salary in another DACH city actually better after rent, prices, median wages and currency differences? It compares Germany, Switzerland and Austria without pretending that nominal salary alone tells the story.
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Example calculations
EUR 80,000 gross annual salary in Munich compared with Berlin, using Munich as cost-of-living index 100 and Berlin as 87 in the built-in city data.
The equivalent Berlin salary is about EUR 69,600 for the same cost-of-living purchasing power. Keeping EUR 80,000 would therefore feel roughly 15% stronger before individual tax and housing choices.
Median salary comparison adds a second lens: cheaper cities can still have lower local wage benchmarks.
EUR 90,000 salary in Munich compared with Zurich, with an example EUR to CHF conversion and Zurich cost-of-living index of 132.
After currency conversion, the Zurich equivalent can be well above CHF 110,000 in the model, because the city is materially more expensive than Munich.
For Switzerland, combine this with the Swiss tax comparison because canton and municipality taxes can change the net result.
Frequently asked questions
What does purchasing power mean for salary comparison?
Purchasing power adjusts salary for local price levels. A higher nominal salary can still feel weaker if housing, groceries, transport and services cost much more in the target city.
How is equivalent salary calculated?
The calculator converts the salary to the target currency when needed and then multiplies it by the target city's cost-of-living index divided by the source city's index.
Why compare with local median salary?
Cost of living shows price pressure, while median salary shows local wage position. A salary can maintain your spending power but still place you lower or higher in the local income distribution.
Does the calculator include income tax?
No. It compares gross salary, currency and local price levels. Use the gross-net or Swiss tax calculator afterwards to estimate net income.
Is this useful for cross-border workers?
Yes as a first screen. Cross-border workers should then layer in tax residence, social security, commute costs and health insurance because those can dominate the final answer.
Why can Zurich require such a high equivalent salary?
Swiss salaries are often higher, but so are many living costs. Zurich and Geneva usually need a much higher nominal salary than German or Austrian cities to preserve the same spending power.
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