# I've got a job offer in Berlin, please advise



## deb0rian

Hi,

I've got a job offer in Berlin.
Senior Web Developer position. 6 years of experience. no degree.
Approx. annual salary is: 46-48k EUR
I'm married - no children

I understand that after all taxation in Germany, I will have around 2000-2300 EUR net. Right?

My question is, would that be enough or I will count every penny?
Oh, yes, it depends on my living level. Well, it's pretty average.

- I'd like to rent a 2~ room apartment.
- I have to send 300 EUR back to my country every month to cover some long term expenses
- I'd like to do small savings to be able to buy a car later or just have some money saved for bad times
- Not going all crazy about restaurants, pubs or disco. Few times in a month, maybe less.
Since I'm a computer guy, most of my free time I spend doing something even after my work. 

So, is that a good offer? 
Should there be any other benefits from the company by default in Germany?

In my country a company usually provides - car, cellphone and laptop, and even pays for the lunch sometimes. 
Anything like that in Germany?

Thanks! lane:


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## ALKB

deb0rian said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've got a job offer in Berlin.
> Senior Web Developer position. 6 years of experience. no degree.
> Approx. annual salary is: 46-48k EUR
> I'm married - no children
> 
> I understand that after all taxation in Germany, I will have around 2000-2300 EUR net. Right?
> 
> My question is, would that be enough or I will count every penny?
> Oh, yes, it depends on my living level. Well, it's pretty average.
> 
> - I'd like to rent a 2~ room apartment.
> - I have to send 300 EUR back to my country every month to cover some long term expenses
> - I'd like to do small savings to be able to buy a car later or just have some money saved for bad times
> - Not going all crazy about restaurants, pubs or disco. Few times in a month, maybe less.
> Since I'm a computer guy, most of my free time I spend doing something even after my work.
> 
> So, is that a good offer?
> Should there be any other benefits from the company by default in Germany?
> 
> In my country a company usually provides - car, cellphone and laptop, and even pays for the lunch sometimes.
> Anything like that in Germany?
> 
> Thanks! lane:



2000 to 2300 per month should be quite alright. I certainly have fed and housed a family of four for less in Berlin but those weren't fun times.

When you say '2 room apartment', do you mean 2 bedrooms? In Berlin (and as far as I know all over Germany) all rooms apart from kitchen and bathroom are counted.

For example, a living room, dining room and one bedroom flat would be a 'three room apartment'. 

Rental cost vary in the extreme depending on location. Where would your job be? You don't want to spend 1.5 hours one way communting all over the city!

Have a look here: 

Immobilien, Wohnungen und Häuser bei ImmobilienScout24 mieten, kaufen, inserieren


Coming from outside Europe, I would expect a relocation agency to take care of the nitty-gritty of moving - did the comany mention anything?

Some companies are nicer than others. They might pay lunch or give out vouchers for local restaurants, you might get discounts for all sorts of things, like gym membership. A company car is usually reserved for higher management. Mobiule phone and laptop are actually quite likely.


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## deb0rian

ALKB said:


> 2000 to 2300 per month should be quite alright. I certainly have fed and housed a family of four for less in Berlin but those weren't fun times.
> 
> When you say '2 room apartment', do you mean 2 bedrooms? In Berlin (and as far as I know all over Germany) all rooms apart from kitchen and bathroom are counted.
> 
> For example, a living room, dining room and one bedroom flat would be a 'three room apartment'.
> 
> Rental cost vary in the extreme depending on location. Where would your job be? You don't want to spend 1.5 hours one way communting all over the city!
> 
> Have a look here:
> 
> Coming from outside Europe, I would expect a relocation agency to take care of the nitty-gritty of moving - did the comany mention anything?
> 
> Some companies are nicer than others. They might pay lunch or give out vouchers for local restaurants, you might get discounts for all sorts of things, like gym membership. A company car is usually reserved for higher management. Mobiule phone and laptop are actually quite likely.


Thanks for your answer.

1. When I mean 2 room apartment, it means a bedroom + living room for guests and TV 
2. The company located near Torstraße in Berlin, I guess it's the very center of the city.. not sure which apartments I can find there
3. I have no idea about what benefits or relocation stuff the company is offering. It's kinda kept as a secret until they decide I'm the right person to work with I guess. 

Needless to say I will not accept the offer if there's a bad relocation support provided. 

But my most concern was - how good/bad can I live with that salary.

Thanks again!


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## ALKB

deb0rian said:


> Thanks for your answer.
> 
> 1. When I mean 2 room apartment, it means a bedroom + living room for guests and TV
> 2. The company located near Torstraße in Berlin, I guess it's the very center of the city.. not sure which apartments I can find there
> 3. I have no idea about what benefits or relocation stuff the company is offering. It's kinda kept as a secret until they decide I'm the right person to work with I guess.
> 
> Needless to say I will not accept the offer if there's a bad relocation support provided.
> 
> But my most concern was - how good/bad can I live with that salary.
> 
> Thanks again!


Torstr. Great, that's eastern city centre but very close to western districts as well with good transport links, so you have a lot of choices. You should be able to find something reasonable in easy commuting distance.

Prenzlauer Berg would be the obvious choice and is very 'hip' (which can be annoying!), it's also not the cheapest.

Then there is Wedding, which has a bit of a rough reputation but can be very, very nice in places.

Mitte can be very expensive, obviously.

Reinickendorf could be a possibility...

Put the exact work address in at immobilienscout24 and do a search within 1 km, 2 km, etc., that will get you an overview.

Careful with rent - it's 'cold' rent and what's included may vary! Always check the warm rent that includes all sorts of fees (cleaning, rubbish removal, janitor, gardener...) Electricity and gas will most probably be extra. 

This:

BVG.de - Startseite

will give you transport links and commuting times.


I'd avoid Lichtenberg, Marzahn and Oberschoeneweide.


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## deb0rian

ALKB said:


> Torstr. Great, that's eastern city centre but very close to western districts as well with good transport links, so you have a lot of choices. You should be able to find something reasonable in easy commuting distance.
> 
> Prenzlauer Berg would be the obvious choice and is very 'hip' (which can be annoying!), it's also not the cheapest.
> 
> Then there is Wedding, which has a bit of a rough reputation but can be very, very nice in places.
> 
> Mitte can be very expensive, obviously.
> 
> Reinickendorf could be a possibility...
> 
> Put the exact work address in at immobilienscout24 and do a search within 1 km, 2 km, etc., that will get you an overview.
> 
> Careful with rent - it's 'cold' rent and what's included may vary! Always check the warm rent that includes all sorts of fees (cleaning, rubbish removal, janitor, gardener...) Electricity and gas will most probably be extra.
> 
> This:
> 
> will give you transport links and commuting times.
> 
> 
> I'd avoid Lichtenberg, Marzahn and Oberschoeneweide.



Thanks a lot so far!
Helped me a lot to localize my searches.

One thing though. Could you explain what do you mean by "I'd avoid X, Y, Z" or "has a bit of a rough reputation", etc.. ?
What is so bad about this districts? Prices? Criminals? People? 
You can PM me if you don't want to type it in public of course.

Thanks!


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## ALKB

deb0rian said:


> Thanks a lot so far!
> Helped me a lot to localize my searches.
> 
> One thing though. Could you explain what do you mean by "I'd avoid X, Y, Z" or "has a bit of a rough reputation", etc.. ?
> What is so bad about this districts? Prices? Criminals? People?
> You can PM me if you don't want to type it in public of course.
> 
> Thanks!


Wedding (as well as Neukoelln) have a rough reputation in a way that they are traditional working class districts that since the 1960s are hubs of the Turkish and Arabic communities. Which does not make it rough as such.

But disillusioned youths tend to fancy themselves gangs and the criminality is relatively high compared to other districts. It depends on the street, really.

I used to live in Reinickendorf bordering on Wedding and I quite like a lot of places there, went shopping, etc. My favourite restuarant is in Wedding, in fact.

Rents are on the lower side 

Moabit/Tiergarten could be another choice. Moabit is up and coming, I hear, as is Neukoelln - expats find it charming and authentic 

Lichtenberg, Marzahn and Oberschoeneweide are somewhat the playground of the local neo nazi population. There are loads of nice people there, don't get me wrong, but there is a concentration of certain clubs, bars and offices associated with the far right in these areas and I would not live there with my family to be on the safe side (my husband is part of a visible minority).


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## MrTweek

Some more clarification about the salary: You will probably have a little more than 2300 EUR after tax and that is above the average salary here, no problem living a decent life on that. Especially in Berlin, which is one of the cheaper city in the country.

I work in that field as well and for someone without a degree that is actually a quite good salary.


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## Nononymous

No sane person would live in Marzahn.

How is your German? If it's not great, you probably want to live somewhere with a few expats around. 

If you're working in Torstraße you could find something small and not particularly cheap nearby in Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg; Moabit is an interesting option, and relatively close; Kreuzberg is getting a bit precious and frankly too English (last summer I literally could go days without hearing German); Neukölln, especially the western edge - "Kreuzkölln" - is the next hip happening thing, but at this point you're looking at a fairly annoying commute; and Freidrichshain around Boxhagener Platz can be fun too, and a tolerable distance away.


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