Health insurance is mandatory by law in Germany, which means it’s essential that you calculate how much it is going to cost you when you’re budgeting for a move to the country. The majority of people, even international students, will need to register for some sort of Health Insurance. Some choose to go public, while others choose private.
The cost of healthcare coverage can range from € 110 to €1,500 per month, depending on your circumstances and insurance premium. Let's take a look at the costs in more detail.
Costs of Public Health Insurance in Germany
How much does health insurance cost per month in Germany?
Social security contributions for Public Health Insurance (GKV, Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) are set at 14.6% of an employee’s gross salary. This is made up of a 7.3% contribution from the employer, plus a 7.3% contribution from the employee. Each public healthcare provider is also allowed to charge an additional contribution of up to 1.7%, which is paid by the employer.
The amount charged is capped at wages of €5,175 a month, which means the most anyone will pay is €541 a month (with the employer paying around 50% employer’s contribution). Self-employed pay the whole premium (max. €1.050) themselves.
Everyone also pays a compulsory nursing care contribution of 3.05% (or 3.3% if you do not have children), which is again, shared by the employer and employee.
But also take into account that there are sometimes treatments you have to pay for yourself, and there can be deductibles, for example, for your prescription in the pharmacy.
You can find more information on our Public Health Insurance in Germany page.
Is health insurance mandatory in Germany?
Yes, a health insurance plan, either private or public, is mandatory by law, and there are penalties for not having adequate coverage.
What is the per capita cost of health insurance in Germany?
The German government heavily subsidizes the cost of the public healthcare system. Annual per capita spending is around €4,500.
Costs of Private Health Insurance in Germany
Only certain individuals in Germany are eligible to choose Private Health Insurance over Public Health Insurance.
This includes employees earning over €69.300 a year, self-employed people and freelancers, as well as civil servants or students.
The cost of Private Health Insurance (PKV, Private Krankenversicherung) in Germany is not regulated in the same way as the cost of Public Health Insurance is, and can therefore vary hugely in price. Private premiums are set by the ‘risk’ of the patient, which means those with chronic conditions and older people will generally pay more for private insurance.
Young people on high incomes will usually make savings by choosing private over public. A young, healthy person can pay far less than those on high salaries as those people will have to pay the maximum rate. However, high-risk patients may have to pay private health premiums as they will need to pay a risk surcharge.
One way to lower your monthly premiums in Private Health Insurance can be to choose a deductible in your tariff. This means that you must pay the first few hundred or thousand euro for certain treatments, but your monthly payments are then lower. Only choose a high deductible if you have that amount of money in savings should you need it, and you are generally in good health.
You can find out more about private health insurance on our Health Insurance in Germany page.
Costs of health insurance in Germany for international students
All students under 30 in Germany can take advantage of a special student discounted rate for Public Health Insurance
This is charged at €120.34 (students under the age of 23) or at €125.21 (students age 23 and above) per month and covers both public healthcare and nursing care insurance.
However, students are eligible to choose between Public and Private Health Insurance. Some international students can only take out Private Health Insurance.
Private plans for international students can work out cheaper and are offered as low as €70-€80. These can come with advantages regarding coverage such as visual aids, dental treatments, free choice of doctors, and worldwide coverage for up to 6 months without additional charge.
You can find out more about student health insurance on our Health Insurance for International Students page.
As you can see, the cost of healthcare insurance in Germany ranges dramatically depending on whether you go for private or public, and also when you factor in the extra costs associated with private plans.
Students under 30 can budget for paying €105 month, depending on the health insurance you choose.
Those who’ve found employment after their studies will be able to calculate what they will pay in public health insurance if they know what their wage is going to be but expect this to be around the €360 mark for an average wage.
In private health insurance the premium depends on age, health status and the chosen tariff. The earlier you take out private health insurance the lower are the premiums starting from around €250 depending on the tariff). So, it can be the more financially sound option for high earners as they would pay the maximum rate in public health insurance.
You can find out more about healthcare cover on our Health Insurance in Germany page.
Want to study in Germany?
Learn valuable tips on applying to a German university, details on securing your student visa, and much more on our guide.
