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Mohamed Oun
Hamburg
#85 of 124
Europe

Hamburg

Germany

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Hamburg compare to Tbilisi?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Hamburg is 48% worse off vs in Tbilisi

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Hamburg compared to Tbilisi, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$82,701
+$35K (+72%) vs Tbilisi
Based on 159 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$48,794
+$1K (+3%) vs Tbilisi
Tax Rate: 41%

Community Insights

New

Hamburg offers a sophisticated, wealthy, and scenic alternative to Berlin's gritty chaos, but it comes at a premium. While the median SWE salary of ~$82k provides a comfortable life, the housing crisis significantly eats into net income and patience. The tech scene is mature and stable, leaning towards established corporates and logistics/fintech rather than just hype-driven crypto startups.

Residents love the city's maritime charm and safety (Safety Index ~60), but the gloomy weather (98 rainy days/year) and perceived social coldness are major hurdles for newcomers. It is a city that rewards patience—both in finding an apartment and making friends.

Resident Sentiment

Current residents, especially transplants, often have a love-hate relationship with the city. They deeply admire Hamburg's aesthetic and infrastructure, often calling it Germany's most beautiful city. However, there is a strong undercurrent of frustration regarding the rental market—many report searching for months despite good incomes. Long-term residents tend to be happier once they've 'cracked' the social shell and secured a long-term lease.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Tbilisi.

Rankings

Pollution Score

Top 14%

#17

of 124 cities

27.1/100

Current value (lower is better)

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#53

of 124 cities

5 events on luma

Current value

Safety Index

Middle of the pack

#54

of 124 cities

60.2/100

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Hamburg compared to Tbilisi?

Avg. Property Price
$7,493 / m²
312% more expensive than Tbilisi
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Hamburg to maintain the same standard of living.

$

Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
96% more expensive than Tbilisi
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Hamburg

Drager logo
Drager
Volkswagen logo
Volkswagen
FREE NOW logo
FREE NOW
  • Thriving but chill tech scene: Home to major players like XING, Free Now, and a growing startup ecosystem, offering a more stable and less chaotic environment than Berlin.
  • High quality of life: Residents frequently praise the city's beauty, especially the Alster and Elbe rivers, abundant green spaces, and a cleaner, more organized feel than other major German hubs.
  • English-friendly workplaces: Many tech companies operate in English, though day-to-day life outside the office often requires some German proficiency.
  • Strategic location: Excellent travel connections to Scandinavia and the rest of Europe, with a highly efficient public transport system that makes car ownership optional.
  • Work-life balance: Strong adherence to German labor laws means 30 days of vacation is standard, with strictly respected working hours.

The Bad

  • Housing market nightmare: Even with a high SWE salary, finding an apartment is described as "Armageddon," with massive competition and high prices for decent spots.
  • Gloomy weather: The "Hamburger Schmuddelwetter" is a frequent complaint; expect grey skies, frequent drizzle, and only 1550 sunshine hours per year.
  • Social difficulty: The "Hamburg chill" can be interpreted as coldness; expats often struggle to break into local friend circles, known as the "coconut" culture (hard shell, soft interior).
  • Lower purchasing power: While salaries are decent (~$82k), the high cost of living (ranked #69) and taxes (41%) mean your disposable income feels lower compared to Berlin or Munich relative to costs.
  • Bureaucracy: Dealing with the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) is notoriously slow and frustrating, often requiring German speakers to navigate effectively.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

The established professional or family-oriented engineer who values stability, safety, and nature over 24/7 nightlife. If you love water sports, don't mind the rain, and are willing to put effort into learning German to integrate into a high-quality, organized society, you will thrive here.

Skip it if...

Junior devs looking to maximize savings rates or those chasing the highest possible disposable income (purchasing power is mediocre). Sun-seekers will be miserable. Additionally, social butterflies who expect instant connections without speaking the local language may find the city isolating compared to the expat bubbles of Berlin or Amsterdam.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.5/10-24% vs Tbilisi
Safety60-19%
Pollution27-62%
Events5+5
3.5/10TechCities weather score vs 4.6/10 in Tbilisi

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
13°C(vs 18°C in Tbilisi)
Average Low
6°C(vs 8°C in Tbilisi)
Sunshine Hours
1,550h/yr-496h/yr(-24%)
Hottest Month High
22°C(vs 30°C in Tbilisi)
Coldest Month Low
-1°C(vs -2°C in Tbilisi)
Rainy Days
98/yr+46/yr(+87%)

Community & Quality

Hamburg community pulse

Hamburg has 5 Luma events listed.

Tbilisi has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#67

of 124 cities

55/100

Current value (lower is better)

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#71

of 124 cities

$48,794/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Bottom 32%

#85

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Bottom 30%

#88

of 124 cities

≈12.3 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 29%

#89

of 124 cities

35/100 weather score

Current value

Tax Rate

Bottom 8%

#115

of 124 cities

41%

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
12.3 years
9.2 years longer than Tbilisi
Muggy Days
1/yr-12/yr(-91%)
Cloud Cover
59%(vs 38% in Tbilisi)