# Berlin - Cost of Living



## Guest

My wife is in the very early stages of interviewing with a company in Berlin. I'm trying to find some info on cost of living, average wages, etc. for living in Berlin. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## James3214

My guess at your monthly living costs in Berlin:
Rent (1 or 2 bed apartment) 500-1000€ per month plus around 200-400 neben kosten for elect,gas,etc)
Health Insurance (if private) around 300-400€
food,etc 150-200€ 
car running costs around 130-150€
Public transport 30-40€
TV licence 48€
Internet, phone, Digital TV - 50€

There is a website that compares salaries of all jobs by areas in Germany which I pasted on another thread. I'll try and find it. 
To get a better idea of cost of renting/buying apartments in Berlin take a look at www.immobilienscout24.de


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## Guest

James3214 said:


> My guess at your monthly living costs in Berlin:
> Rent (1 or 2 bed apartment) 500-1000€ per month plus around 200-400 neben kosten for elect,gas,etc)
> Health Insurance (if private) around 300-400€
> food,etc 150-200€
> car running costs around 130-150€
> Public transport 30-40€
> TV licence 48€
> Internet, phone, Digital TV - 50€
> 
> There is a website that compares salaries of all jobs by areas in Germany which I pasted on another thread. I'll try and find it.
> To get a better idea of cost of renting/buying apartments in Berlin take a look at Immobilien, Wohnungen und Häuser bei ImmobilienScout24 mieten, kaufen, inserieren


Thank you so much!!! :clap2:

The main thing I'm trying to figure out at this point is how much money my wife should ask for if offered the job. She works in IT as a Data Architect. I haven't found too much info out there by searching on Google what a typical salary would be for her job title (or similar) in Germany.


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## James3214

This is that 'salary compare' site I mentioned but it is only in German. 
Frei verfgbares Einkommen : Gehaelter 2007
Although I can't find 'data architekt' there are IT jobs in Berlin which you could compare with.


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## brianwells

Hi

It is true that the cost of living in Berlin is comparably low, I agree with the figures quoted above. However, salaries do tend to be lower there than in other parts of Germany (like e.g. Munich). I guess that it all works out!

Brian


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## Guest

Thanks for all the info. My wife has had two phone interviews so far and she thinks they both went well. We are now waiting to hear from HR, so we're in a holding pattern. I hope this happens. I am so excited about the prospect of living in Berlin!


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## ExpatInBerlin

Anywhere from 50k euro to 70k euro for data architect. Make sure she gets relocation benefits.

The story i got when i moved here is that my salary requests were not competitive to the local market. My arguement is you are shopping internationally to fill a local position. If you 'buy' from outside of Berlin, then you pay the cost...

I hope that helps... If she is really good at her game, she could pick up even more... But its supply and demand...


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## Guest

ExpatInBerlin said:


> Anywhere from 50k euro to 70k euro for data architect. Make sure she gets relocation benefits.
> 
> The story i got when i moved here is that my salary requests were not competitive to the local market. My arguement is you are shopping internationally to fill a local position. If you 'buy' from outside of Berlin, then you pay the cost...
> 
> I hope that helps... If she is really good at her game, she could pick up even more... But its supply and demand...


Thanks! I think I've figured out an easy way to calculate what her net pay would be, cut the gross in half! I know that's a very rough estimate but damn! Also, I've read you can get the social security money back you pay Germany if stay in the EU less than 5 years. Is that true and how easy is it to actually get it back?

48€ a month for a TV license!? And then another 50€ for Digital TV? Maybe I can do without TV while I'm there...


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## ExpatInBerlin

I think you misunderstood... I do NOT believe tv license is 48euro a month... I dont pay it (yet?) but believe that is a year cost...

If you get an 80cm sat dish on your home and a freesat box from the UK, you'll get English TV channels for free... but remember, if you move here, you want to live here... I for example lived in Prague, Czech Republic for almost six years and spent too much time with an English speaking community and learned no more than 12words of Czech... that is embarrassing... You do not want to be this way...

This is a great country and you can live comfortably without the language, but you will live alot better with it... hence get used to German radio/tv

The rules of claiming back tax/social security vary if you are EU or non-EU. However, people live very comfortably here - don't let the idea of 50% deductions from a pay packet scare you away. Unlike most countries, you get bang for your buck here. Streets are safe, health care system works, its not money into a black hole.... Don't look at what is lost from your pay packet, look what you take home, and think of the life that you will have to use that pay packet on...

I dont mean to lecture... sorry... 

Just realise that the folk who live in Germany are intelligent people and would not agree to loosing so much of their pay packet unless they got something in return... and... realise that its one of the best performing economies in the western world at the moment! They must be doing something right!


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## Guest

Oh, I knew the taxes were going to be high going into this. I guess I figured on a tax structure similar to the UK's, where I lived for 3 years, not 50%. But whatever, it is what it is. My main concern is that my wife and me can earn a comfortable enough living, and that this doesn't turn into a financial burden. Meaning, we don't want to start tapping into our savings to pay our bills every month. That just isn't going to work. But we haven't even gotten to the point where we're talking money with this potential employer, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I totally understand what you mean about learning the language and immersing ourselves in the local culture. As Americans, we had it easy in the UK. The first thing I'm going to do once I know this is a done deal is start learning German. We'll buy the Rosetta Stone, as I've heard awesome things about it.


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## James3214

ExpatInBerlin said:


> I think you misunderstood... I do NOT believe tv license is 48euro a month... I dont pay it (yet?) but believe that is a year cost...


Yes, you're right the 48€ is a bit excessive and I think it was included together with the digital TV costs but you have to pay the German TV Licence or 'GFZ' as it is known at around 18€ month. I think they normally take it directly off my bank a/c every 3/4 months but like the UK it is for the public radio and TV channels (ARD and ZDF). And after looking at the programs that these channels produce, please don't ask me where all that money goes!! 

Digital TV, home phone and internet can be about 50€ a month with Telekom.


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## ExpatInBerlin

James3214 said:


> Yes, you're right the 48€ is a bit excessive and I think it was included together with the digital TV costs but you have to pay the German TV Licence or 'GFZ' as it is known at around 18€ month. I think they normally take it directly off my bank a/c every 3/4 months but like the UK it is for the public radio and TV channels (ARD and ZDF). And after looking at the programs that these channels produce, please don't ask me where all that money goes!!
> 
> Digital TV, home phone and internet can be about 50€ a month with Telekom.


18euro is still pricey in itself so that has brought my edukateshun to a new level  - thanks


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## ExpatInBerlin

BobbyM said:


> Oh, I knew the taxes were going to be high going into this. I guess I figured on a tax structure similar to the UK's, where I lived for 3 years, not 50%. But whatever, it is what it is. My main concern is that my wife and me can earn a comfortable enough living, and that this doesn't turn into a financial burden. Meaning, we don't want to start tapping into our savings to pay our bills every month. That just isn't going to work. But we haven't even gotten to the point where we're talking money with this potential employer, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.


You and I think along the same path - I did not want to find the move here meant digging into my savings. I'm reasonably conservative in my living, roughly half my salary is lot through deductions of some sort (be they social insurance, taxes or whatever) and I still manage to save about 25% of my salary... This might change when my good lady moves over from Vancouver before end of year as worst case scenario I will have to carry her mortgage and our life here.

For two adults, roughly speaking 150euro a month to cover gas, heating, electric, sewage and tv is, I would guess, sufficient... at least this is a figure I am working on.

Do remember that public transport here is exceptional - I got rid of my car about four or so years ago - I have a motorcycle and a metro card. When I want to travel long distance I rent... Motorcycles can park anywhere on the public street just so long as there is room for other street users. Parking in parts of Berlin can prove painful, hence I have solved that headache and reduced my costs in the process.

I hope Berlin works out for you folks...


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## Kawasutra

> I think you misunderstood... I do NOT believe tv license is 48euro a month... I dont pay it (yet?) but believe that is a year cost...


It`s around 12 euro-month and it is a fee not a license.




> This is a great country and you can live comfortably without the language, but you will live alot better with it... hence get used to German radio/tv


True..!



> However, people live very comfortably here - don't let the idea of 50% deductions from a pay packet scare you away. Unlike most countries, you get bang for your buck here. Streets are safe, health care system works, its not money into a black hole.... Don't look at what is lost from your pay packet, look what you take home, and think of the life that you will have to use that pay packet on...


That´s what I am still missing here in the UAE



> Just realise that the folk who live in Germany are intelligent people


Thanks!


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## marla

*living in berlin*

as usual, u re so helpful james! is this the website u were talking about?
PayScale Germany - Germany Income Data - Average Salaries in Germany


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## Guest

Just thought I'd give everyone a little update. After applying for 100+ jobs throughout Europe, my wife got 2 phone interviews. Both from Germany. But neither went anywhere. We're about to wrap it up and say at least we tried. Maybe we'll try again once things settle down and the economy improves.

What's so frustrating about this is my wife has US employers who found her Resume online calling her left and right, offering her more money to jump ship. So, for those of you looking in the US, there's jobs to be had. But it looks like Europe is a dry well right now.


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## Seb*

BobbyM said:


> What's so frustrating about this is my wife has US employers who found her Resume online calling her left and right, offering her more money to jump ship. So, for those of you looking in the US, there's jobs to be had. But it looks like Europe is a dry well right now.


Don't forget there is a difference between employing an US citizen and someone from another country, who needs a visa and sponsorship! It's the same for the EU, companies will always prefer the easy way. Anyway, I keep my fingers crossed, maybe one day you can make the jump over


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## Seb*

ramvmware said:


> Can any one help me? Can u any one tell me the Best Website address on which i can apply for VMware and windows administrator jobs in Germany


You got a visa sorted? How's your German?


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