# Advice: Frankfurt Cost of Living, and Lifestyle changes after Moving



## alittlehelpneeded (Jul 8, 2015)

Dear All,

I've recently been offered a job in Frankfurt with a compensation of Euros 45.000,00 annual salary. 

Do you think, a single guy like me in his early 30's, likes to travel, sight-see and eat out a little, can live out of a shared apartment, but marriage on the horizon survive on this pay check? How much will I be able to save, estimate in Percentage of my salary?

Will I be able to switch jobs?

What are the things I need to take a hard look at right now before signing the contract, and leaving me country.

Thanks in advance


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## James3214 (Jun 25, 2009)

yes, you could live easily from 45k in Frankfurt if you are sharing an apartment. Not luxury but enough to live on comfortably. Google .de a few sites with 'gehalt' for exact amount of what remains. 55-60% should remain but you should find the link already on another thread in this forum.
If you are from outside the EU you won't be able to switch jobs.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

alittlehelpneeded said:


> Dear All,
> 
> I've recently been offered a job in Frankfurt with a compensation of Euros 45.000,00 annual salary.
> 
> ...


Will you be on a BlueCard?


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## alittlehelpneeded (Jul 8, 2015)

ALKB said:


> Will you be on a BlueCard?


Yes, BlueCard. How does that benefit me, what are my limitations? I am from outside of EU.

Might I add, I am in IT.


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## alittlehelpneeded (Jul 8, 2015)

James3214 said:


> yes, you could live easily from 45k in Frankfurt if you are sharing an apartment. Not luxury but enough to live on comfortably. Google .de a few sites with 'gehalt' for exact amount of what remains. 55-60% should remain but you should find the link already on another thread in this forum.
> If you are from outside the EU you won't be able to switch jobs.


I am from outside of EU working in the IT.

I google Germany Tax Calculator and one of them gave me these numbers, and used Numbeo to estimate living expenses.

---------
total wage per year:	
45.000,00	Euro
minus the amount of the deductible health insurance + 5.984% of the wage as deductible pension contributions:	
- 6.980,00	Euro
minus fixed deductions related to the tax category 1:	
- 1.036,00	Euro
remains as taxable income per year (lump sums deducted and rounded) :	
36.984,00 Euro
(income) tax for this amount per year :	
7.766,00 Euro
monthly Wage Tax :	
647,16 Euro
Solidarity Surcharge :	
35,59 Euro
Sum of the Taxes :	
682,75	Euro

--------
9.35% Obligatory Pension Scheme: 
350,63 Euro
1.5% Unemployment Insurance: 
56,25 Euro
8.4% Health Insurance (incl. 1.1% from the Employee alown): 
315,00 Euro
1.425% Disability Insurance: 
53,44 Euro
Sum of the Social Security Contributions: 
775,32	Euro

--------
Net Salary:	
2.291,93	Euro

--------
Esitmated Living Expenses: Per month

Leisure - 20.00
Rent - 1,000.00
Utilities - 150.00
Commute - 90.00
Mobile - 40.45
Groceries - 105.00
Total - 1405.45

Remaining Monthly Salary = Net Salary - Total Per month Living expenses: 

886.48 Euro (It's below OK in my opinion)


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

alittlehelpneeded said:


> Yes, BlueCard. How does that benefit me, what are my limitations? I am from outside of EU.
> 
> Might I add, I am in IT.


Under BlueCard, any change in employment in the first 2 years in Germany needs permission from the Federal Department of Employment.

You are also ineligible to apply for a BlueCard in another EU state in the first 18 months in Germany. (So you can't land a job in, say, the Netherlands, quit your job in Germany after 12 months or so and get a new BlueCard in the Netherlands.)

Advantages: Accellerated route to settlement if requirements are fulfilled (mainly language skills) and spouse doesn't need to show German skills, gets full work rights.

A regular work permit would permit changes in employer/sponsor but your spouse would not be able to work for up to 3 years and would need to show German language skills to get a dependent visa. Also, it would take 5 years to be eligible for indefinite leave.

http://www.bamf.de/EN/Infothek/FragenAntworten/BlaueKarteEU/blaue-karte-eu-node.html


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## alittlehelpneeded (Jul 8, 2015)

ALKB said:


> Under BlueCard, any change in employment in the first 2 years in Germany needs permission from the Federal Department of Employment.
> 
> You are also ineligible to apply for a BlueCard in another EU state in the first 18 months in Germany. (So you can't land a job in, say, the Netherlands, quit your job in Germany after 12 months or so and get a new BlueCard in the Netherlands.)
> 
> ...


Thank you for so much detail and insight.

What do you mean by 



> Also, it would take 5 years to be eligible for indefinite leave.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

Under BlueCard you can get indefinite leave after 33 months (if you fulfill the requirements such as German language skills).

Under a regular work permit it would normally take 5 years before you can apply for indefinite leave (again, if you fulfill the requirements).


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