Total purchasing power in Germany is expected to reach €2.464 trillion in 2026, an increase of 3.7% from the previous year, according to new data from Acxiom.
Average purchasing power per capita is forecast to come in at €29,072, up €1,147 compared with 2025.
As Acxiom noted, the increase is supported by higher wages and government transfer payments, particularly pensions, while economic growth remains weak amid geopolitical uncertainty, volatile energy prices and structural challenges affecting key industries.
With inflation estimated at around 2.8%, income growth is expected to exceed price growth, resulting in a slight increase in real purchasing power.
However, despite rising disposable incomes, ‘many households remain cautious about major expenditures,’ Acxiom noted. ‘Financial security is their priority – they react to economic risks with similar restraint as last year.’
Regional differences
On a region-by-region basis, Bavaria has the highest average purchasing power among Germany’s federal states at €31,326 per capita, followed by Hamburg at €31,253 and Baden-Württemberg at €30,942.
Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein are also above the national average, while Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania boasts the lowest figure, at €25,157 per capita.
At district level, Starnberg has the highest purchasing power at €39,314 per capita, followed by the Munich district at €39,107 and Hochtaunuskreis at €36,813.
‘The top 10 regions with the highest purchasing power continue to be heavily concentrated in the greater Munich area,’ Acxiom noted. ‘Besides Starnberg and the Munich district, Ebersberg, Fürstenfeldbruck, and Dachau are included. The top group is rounded out by the Hochtaunus district, the Main-Taunus district, the city of Erlangen, and the Böblingen district.’
At the other end of the scale, Duisburg boasts a purchasing power of €23,766 per capita, followed by Bremerhaven at €23,004 and Gelsenkirchen at €22,852.
City purchasing power
Among Germany’s major cities, Munich has the highest purchasing power at €36,758 per capita, followed by Düsseldorf at €32,337 and Stuttgart at €32,087. Frankfurt am Main records €31,594, while Hamburg stands at €31,253.
Nürnberg, Cologne and Hannover are also above the national average, while Duisburg boasts the lowest figure among the major cities at €23,766.
‘The results illustrate that economic strength and income levels vary considerably even within urban areas,’ Acxiom added. Read more here.
