Retire in Germany , how much money do I really need?

Salaries in Germany are generally lower than in the US, but so too is cost of living.
-@John Bussolari

It depends on the profession.

What visa type are you planning to apply for? There is no approriate type for self-financed retirees,so you must have another basis to get a visa.

And the cost of private health cover greatly depends on your age, health and pre-existing conditions. Fo a retiree, it will almost certainly be above the maximum payable in the public insurance, which is around €750/month. Get quotes from several insurers!

2Million as an asset. Even without pension you are fine to come back.. Very few people in Germany have this much as an asset. Many people live in rented apartment and do not have more than 20K in their bank account. You can do as much research as you want; but 2M is sufficient.

Obviously if you wait a couple of years to start collecting benefits then you have more to live from when it comes to US social security retirement benefits. Or is the list given what is actually going to be paid? Property is expensive in Germany but for what you mention it should not be a huge problem to find a small house. Your fiancial situation sounds quite good actually.

Not sure why you think that having dogs is a problem to find an apartment. Unless a specific dog is vicious, a landlord cannot refuse one having a house pet like dog or cat. It is not just normal in Germany but protected by law; unlike in the States.

And rather than buy a house, or have to rent an apartment, the most common form of property ownership in Germany, at least in any decent sized city, is an Eigentumswohnung; similar to a condominium situation in the States. One can get a good amount of space without the huge cost, upkeep and taxes of a stand-alone house with garden. And nobody can say you can’t have pets. One should not think that one has to have their own home like in the States. With your own apartment you can have plenty left over for living expenses if your retirement doesn’t match your lifestyle.

Another question is the legal situation to retire in Germany. It is not really a place people usually come to retire and the laws are not really set up to encourage this. If you got US citizenship then it is likely that you had to renounce German citizenship. That one was formerly German doesn’t mean they have any rights as a former citizen. The citizenship is not simply returned. There are new immigration rules that are supposed to come into effect by next year so that multiple citizenship as a German is no longer a problem and no renunciation is involved. But this is NOT retroactive. If one has given up German citizenship then it can be a complicated journey to re-naturalize. Not that an American citizen cannot possibly retire to Germany. With your level of retirement benefits it should not be a major problem; just that you know it might be a bit of bureaucracy and your status will be as an American and not a German.

Another factor is if Germany will still be what you expect? I prefer Germany to the USA myself. But things change over time. If you left decades ago, it might be very different than how you remember it. Might be worth a good visit before committing to such a plan.

@TominStuttgart The amount given is my pension from the hospital .  I will also get Social Security on Top of it at 65 around $3000 a month.  I now know it will be enough but German Angst has me scared .

You are correct Houses are extremely expensive and yes it has changed so much.  I was recently in Berlin and Mainz and it has become very Americanized with overbuilding ugly blocks and cheapened the whole shopping experience ,

Good butcher shops and bakeries are hard to find.  I find myself looking how it was once upon a time.

This time has gone and my last 3 vacations have been in Switzerland instead.

Thank you for your honest input .

Maybe San Miguel de Allende?

Maybe San Miguel de Allende?
-@Ulrike Lang

There is no such place in Germany.

@TominStuttgart The amount given is my pension from the hospital . I will also get Social Security on Top of it at 65 around $3000 a month. I now know it will be enough but German Angst has me scared .
You are correct Houses are extremely expensive and yes it has changed so much. I was recently in Berlin and Mainz and it has become very Americanized with overbuilding ugly blocks and cheapened the whole shopping experience ,
Good butcher shops and bakeries are hard to find. I find myself looking how it was once upon a time.
This time has gone and my last 3 vacations have been in Switzerland instead.

Thank you for your honest input .

Maybe San Miguel de Allende?
-@Ulrike Lang

San Miguel de Allende is a city in Mexico