Quick comparison
| Berlin | Munich | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. tech salary (senior eng.) | €75k – €95k | €85k – €110k |
| Avg. rent (1BR, central) | €1,400 – €1,900/mo | €1,800 – €2,500/mo |
| Startup density | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Corporate HQ density | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
| English-only feasibility | Very high | High (some German useful) |
Berlin: best for startups and tech
Berlin has Germany's highest density of English-first companies. Most Series A–D tech companies in Berlin operate entirely in English. The talent pool is international, so you will find Slack channels in English, all-hands meetings in English, and code reviews in English as standard.
Salaries are lower than Munich, but so is rent. Net disposable income is roughly comparable. The startup culture also means faster career progression and more equity upside.
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Munich: best for corporate roles and higher pay
Munich is home to BMW, Siemens, MAN, Allianz, Munich Re, and a dense cluster of management consulting and finance firms. These companies pay more — but they also expect more professional German presence in day-to-day work. You can operate in English, but basic German for social integration is strongly recommended.
If you are in automotive engineering, aerospace (Airbus), industrial manufacturing, or finance, Munich is the obvious choice.
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Other cities worth considering
- Hamburg – Strong for logistics, media, e-commerce (Otto, About You). Very international culture.
- Frankfurt – Europe's finance capital. Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, and every major investment bank have German HQ here. English is the working language in most of these firms.
- Cologne / Düsseldorf – Strong for advertising, media, fashion, and retail. More German needed than Berlin.