Solid Work & Stubborn Bureaucracy in Germany in 2026

Germany offers expats decent work-life balance, but the worst expat essentials anywhere and cold locals drag it down.

➡️You’re welcome to use these 2026 Expat Insider results. Please remember to credit InterNations as the source, and where possible, include a link to www.internations.org.

In this article:

In Brief
A Good Work-Life Balance
The Worst Expat Essentials Anywhere
A Reserved Welcome
Mid-Range Money & Quality of Life
The Typical Expat in Germany
Further Reading

In Brief

Germany ranks second to last in the Expat Insider 2026 survey (30th out of 31 destinations); only Norway receives an overall worse result.

Its “best” showing is the Working Abroad Index (19th), with a mid-table Quality of Life Index (20th). The Personal Finance Index (23rd) is weaker, while the Ease of Settling In Index (28th) and especially the Expat Essentials Index (31st) drag the overall result to the bottom.

Three in five expats in Germany (60%) are happy with their life there, 10 percentage points below the 70% global average.

A Good Work-Life Balance

Germany ranks 19th for Working Abroad, its best index. Work-life balance is the strength: the country places 12th in the Work & Leisure Subcategory, with around two-thirds satisfied with their working hours (68% vs. 63% globally) and work–life balance (66% vs. 62%). The average full-time week is a short 40.4 hours against the 42.2-hour global norm. About three in five expats (58%) feel secure in their job (vs. 54% globally).

Opinion

What I like best about life in Germany is the strong balance between work and personal life. People really value their free time, which makes it easier to relax, travel, and spend time with family or friends. (Polish expat in Munich)

Opinion

Expats rank Germany’s economy 20th, and the local job market receives very average results (38% positive vs. 38%) — 13% of respondents actually say they’re currently looking for work. Still, over a third of respondents (36%) moved to Germany primarily for work-related reasons (vs. 33%).

The Worst Expat Essentials Anywhere

Practical life is Germany’s defining failure, ranking last (31st) in the Expat Essentials Index and its Digital Life Subcategory. Germany is the worst country in the ranking when it comes to cashless payment options — nearly four times the global average disagree that it’s widely available (22% vs. 6%) — high-speed home internet access, and online government services.

Bureaucracy in generally does not delight, with over three in five (61%) finding it difficult to deal with German authorities (vs. 39%).

The language is another barrier: Germany ranks 26th for how easy expats find German to learn, and the language barrier was the top pre-move worry, named by well over half the respondents (55%). And not without reason, as it turns out: 49% share it’s difficult to get by without speaking the local language (vs. 34% globally), further compounding the digital and bureaucratic frustrations.

A Reserved Welcome

Germany ranks 28th in the Ease of Settling In Index as well as its Local Friendliness Subcategory. About two in five expats (42%) find locals to be friendly towards foreign residents (vs. 61% globally) — and fewer than half (46%) feel at home in Germany (vs. 61%).

Opinion

Here in the North, it is difficult to establish a long time friendship. I haven't yet understood how friendships work. There’s a huge gap with the Italian way. (Italian expat in Hamburg)

Opinion

Expats struggle to get used to the culture (30th), and about two in five expats (41%) say their friends are mostly other expats, reflecting a community slow to integrate locally. Making local friends is not easy, according to 57% of expats (vs. 40% globally). All in all, Germany ranks 29th when it comes to being happy with one’s social life.

Mid-Range Money & Quality of Life

Germany’s result in the Personal Finance Index is only slightly better: 23rd place. Over seven in ten expats (71%) feel their disposable household income is enough for a comfortable life, which is in line with the global average. Expats in Germany are less likely to be satisfied with their financial situation in general (51% vs. 55% globally).

The Quality of Life Index (20th) is steady rather than stellar. The country ranks 14th for Travel & Transit, helped by a 10th-place finish for the road network, where over four in five expats (84%) are satisfied (vs. 73% globally). In the Environment & Climate Subcategory (15th), the good availability of green goods and services (6th) serves as an environmental bright spot.

However, that’s about the end of the good news. Expats are comparatively dissatisfied with Leisure Options (24th) and Healthcare (23rd) in Germany. The country also places only 20th for both political stability and personal safety.