[raverbashing]

Yeah this is not really how you do the math (and your salary should count as expense for the Gewerbesteuer no?)

You should calculate the end % of tax. The 45% is the marginal rate. Also the solidarity tax has a ceiling

(And not everything is charged the full VAT rate)

And in the end, that number doesn't mean much? Switzerland for example had much lower tax, but your cost of life shot up. Some other places your income tax might be lower but sales taxes are higher.

It's all relative

Edit, as an example for 200kEUR in Berlin your tax will be ~ 43% (Cat I) - for 1MEUR/yr you're paying 46%

(this is not so much about Berlin or Germany - the math is the same everywhere - it's about people thinking that the rate means they pay that % of their salary)