Germany vs Sweden
Germany applies progressive income tax. Sweden applies income tax and social contributions. Enter each salary in its own currency, then pick a currency to compare them in.
Nothing compared yet. Add a country above, then change the country and add another to compare them side by side.
What each one leaves you, at four income levels
34.97 points apart in effective rate, in favour of Sweden
| Gross | Germany rate | Sweden rate | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30,000 | 28.8% | 0% | 28.8 points |
| 60,000 | 37% | 2.03% | 34.97 points |
| 100,000 | 41.75% | 9.15% | 32.6 points |
| 150,000 | 43.28% | 12.71% | 30.57 points |
Different currencies. Germany figures are in EUR and Sweden in SEK, so the take-home amounts are not comparable and are not shown. Effective rates are comparable and are shown instead.
The two systems side by side
Germany
- Rentenversicherung
- Arbeitslosenversicherung
- Krankenversicherung
- Pflegeversicherung
- Vorsorgepauschale
- Arbeitnehmer-Pauschbetrag
- Sonderausgaben-Pauschbetrag
- Einkommensteuer
- Solidaritaetszuschlag
Bundesministerium der Finanzen, 2026-08-17
A salary is not a standard of living. Converting both figures into one currency makes them comparable in units, not in what they buy. Housing, healthcare and everyday costs differ far more than the exchange rate suggests.