Overview
- From January 1, the statutory minimum wage rises from €12.82 to €13.90 per hour, with the Minijob limit linked to it increasing to €603 a month and both set to climb again in 2027.
- Payroll thresholds are moving up, with health insurance assessed up to €69,750 and pension contributions up to €101,400, and Datev calculates that married earners on €9,000 a month could take home about €464 less.
- Several insurers are lifting premiums as 2026 begins, and DAK’s chief expects the average additional health contribution to increase by roughly 3.12%, while the pension contribution rate remains at 18.6%.
- Household costs shift elsewhere as the nationwide Deutschlandticket subscription rises to €63 a month and VAT on restaurant food drops to 7%, with savings for diners uncertain.
- Consumer rules tighten through the year, including a required online withdrawal button from June, an EU credit directive late in 2026 that brings stricter checks and covers buy-now-pay-later offers, and new food standards such as higher fruit content in jams and origin labeling for honey.