GeoRealityMatch
Tranquil reflection of traditional architecture and bridge in Beihai Park, Beijing.China
A vibrant autumn avenue with fall colors in Berlin's Tiergarten, showcasing city traffic and scenic trees.Germany

Compare countries · China vs Germany

China vs Germany

ChinaEastern AsiaGermanyWestern Europe

China is cheaper (cost of living 30.5 vs 68.7).Germany is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.657 vs 2.231), scores higher on human development (0.959 vs 0.797) and has the higher income per person ($60,200 vs $14,230).It also has the longer life expectancy (80.8 vs 78.0 years).

Change countries or currency →Deciding for real? Run the matcher →
Safety

Germany is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
China2.231Medium safety#117 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Germany1.657Very high safety#28 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
China0.5Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2020
Germany0.9LowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
China76.9Very highNumbeo · 2026
Germany61.6HighNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
ChinaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
GermanyNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
Money

Income per person is higher in Germany

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
China$14,230HighWorld Bank · 2025
Germany$60,200Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
China30.5Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Germany68.7ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
China10.4AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Germany24.6Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
China21.5Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Germany7.9Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Germany

Life expectancyyears, at birth
China78.0High#54 of 195World Bank · 2024
Germany80.8Very high#39 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
China85Very highWHO · 2023
Germany87Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
China31.6Very highWHO · 2023
Germany8.7LowWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in China

Fixed broadbandmedian download speed
China212 MbpsVery fast#27 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Germany103 MbpsVery fast#62 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Youth unemploymentshare of 15 to 24 year olds in the labour force
ChinaNo figure from Eurostat
Germany7.1%Very lowEurostat · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
China464LowEF EPI · 2025
Germany615Very highEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Germany 0.959, China 0.797

ChinaGermany

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:ChinaGermany

Practical facts

Capital
Beijing
Berlin
Population
1.41B (2025)
83.5M (2025)
Languages
Chinese
German
Currency
Chinese yuan (CNY)
euro (EUR)
Area
9,388,210 km²
349,430 km²
Plug type
Type A/I
Type C/F
Drives on the
right
right
Short visit
Visa-free for EU; visa needed for UK and US
Visa-free for UK and US; visa needed for EU

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

China and Germany, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is China cheaper than Germany?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts China at 30.5 and Germany at 68.7. China is about 56% cheaper overall.

Is China or Germany safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), China scores 2.23 and Germany scores 1.66. Germany ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, China or Germany?

On the UN Human Development Index, China scores 0.797 and Germany scores 0.959. Germany scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in China compared to Germany?

GNI per capita runs $14,230 in China against $60,200 in Germany; people live 78.0 years on average against 80.8; Numbeo users rate healthcare 69 against 72. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

More comparisons

Germany vs PolandGermany vs NetherlandsChina vs South KoreaChina vs TaiwanGermany vs SwedenChina vs JapanCompare any two countries →
Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by zhang kaiyv, Viviana Ceballos on Pexels