UK vs Germany: economic growth, GDP and minimum wage compared
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP growth rate at 1.2%, higher than Germany's 0.2%. On IMF figures, the UK's GDP in 2025 was $4.01 trillion; Germany's was $5.12 trillion. In 2025 the OECD gives $17.13 an hour for the UK's minimum wage and $17.83 an hour for Germany.
Real GDP growth
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK's GDP growth rate at 1.2%, higher than Germany's 0.2%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 9 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.2% | 0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.4% | minus 1.0% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | 1.9% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | 4.0% |
| 2020 | minus 10.0% | minus 4.0% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | 2.9% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | 2.3% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | 1.8% |
The IMF's real GDP growth is the percentage change in gross domestic product at constant prices, for a calendar year compared with the year before.
GDP, current prices
On IMF figures, the UK's GDP in 2025 was $4.01 trillion; Germany's was $5.12 trillion. The UK's figure was not higher than Germany's in any year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4.01 trillion | $5.12 trillion |
| 2024 | $3.71 trillion | $4.75 trillion |
| 2023 | $3.44 trillion | $4.60 trillion |
| 2022 | $3.20 trillion | $4.23 trillion |
| 2021 | $3.21 trillion | $4.39 trillion |
| 2020 | $2.73 trillion | $3.97 trillion |
| 2019 | $2.89 trillion | $3.98 trillion |
| 2018 | $2.91 trillion | $4.08 trillion |
| 2017 | $2.71 trillion | $3.78 trillion |
| 2016 | $2.72 trillion | $3.55 trillion |
| 2015 | $2.95 trillion | $3.43 trillion |
The IMF's GDP in US dollars is the value of all goods and services produced in a country in a calendar year, at that year's prices, converted from the national currency into US dollars at market exchange rates.
Real minimum wage per hour
In 2025 the OECD gives $17.13 an hour for the UK's minimum wage and $17.83 an hour for Germany. The UK's figure was not higher than Germany's in any year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17.13 an hour | $17.83 an hour |
| 2024 | $16.56 an hour | $17.64 an hour |
| 2023 | $15.59 an hour | $17.44 an hour |
| 2022 | $15.26 an hour | $16.20 an hour |
| 2021 | $15.62 an hour | $15.65 an hour |
| 2020 | $15.52 an hour | $15.86 an hour |
| 2019 | $14.82 an hour | $15.61 an hour |
| 2018 | $14.38 an hour | $15.23 an hour |
| 2017 | $14.11 an hour | $15.50 an hour |
| 2016 | $14.02 an hour | $15.12 an hour |
| 2015 | $12.88 an hour | $15.20 an hour |
The OECD converts each country's statutory adult minimum wage into an hourly rate, adjusts it to 2025 prices with the consumer price index, and converts it into US dollars using 2025 purchasing power parities for household spending.
More figures for the UK and Germany
| Figure | UK | Germany | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $74,901 | 2025 | IMF |
| GDP per hour worked | $85.56 an hour | $102.69 an hour | 2025 | OECD |
| Inflation, average consumer prices | 3.4% | 2.3% | 2025 | IMF |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 3.8% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 62.7% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 80.8 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Total tax revenue | 34.4% of GDP | 38.0% of GDP | 2024 | OECD |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 12.7% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 50.1% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 75.1% | 77.2% | 2025 | OECD |
| Core defence expenditure | 2.56% of GDP | 2.69% of GDP | 2026 | NATO |
| Carbon dioxide emissions per person | 4.22 tonnes | 6.94 tonnes | 2024 | World Bank |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 3.1% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
| Price-to-income ratio, standardised | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 86.6 (100 = long-term average) | 2025 | OECD |
Figures are the international body's, for a year both countries share; they can differ from those published by the ONS because they are adjusted for comparison.
Ranked tables with the UK and Germany
- UK GDP growth compared with the G7
- UK GDP growth compared with EU countries
- UK GDP compared with other countries
- UK minimum wage compared with other countries
More about Germany: Germany in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
5200170b0f19f025…· publisher's page - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7294ac0b3013e39b…· publisher's page - OECD: Real minimum wagesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
2ae7ee467ac7dc1d…· publisher's page
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