# Seeking Advice for Costs



## alihasan (Mar 29, 2013)

Dear fellow forumers,

I am interested in doing Master of Construction and Real Estate Management (ConREM) from the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW). I am currently working in the UAE and have saved around 10k USD so far. I want to start my studies this year at the university. My question is what are the monthly living expenses in Berlin if I want to rent my own room in a shared flat/unit etc. I will be going alone and my dad will be responsible for my expenses.

Many thanks for your replies.

P.S I have IELTS band 7.5 overall in the General Module. Will that be acceptable or do I have to give the Academic Module?


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## songdae (May 30, 2013)

Hi Alihasan,
You can expect to pay at least 300€ a month for a standard room in a shared flat, including utilities.
You can buy a basic meal for about 5€, less if you cook yourself, so around 350€ per month should cover food and such.
If you go to a club, cover charge is usually around 10€ and beer around 3€.
Depending on the neighborhood, you actually can live quite cheaply in Berlin (compared to the rest of Germany) but you also have access to all kinds of luxuries if you have more money to spend. 
Hope that helps


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Add to the above figure the university fee (usually low and paid per semester), compulsory health insurance (subsidised student rate of approx. €80/month) and any vacation or home trips.
Thus €800-1000/month is more realistic for a simple student lifestyle.


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## MrTweek (Jan 9, 2013)

That obviously depends completely on your personal lifestyle. It's possible to live on 250 € rent + 200 € living expenses + health insurance.
That'll mean that you need to stretch every euro you have though.

800 € to 1000 € is surely enough to live simple but kind of comfortably.


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## Gioppino (Aug 25, 2012)

MrTweek said:


> That obviously depends completely on your personal lifestyle. It's possible to live on 250 € rent + 200 € living expenses + health insurance.
> That'll mean that you need to stretch every euro you have though.
> 
> 800 € to 1000 € is surely enough to live simple but kind of comfortably.


Are you kidding? Only €200 for living expenses? And €250 rent? Not even couch surfing is that cheap.

€1000 is definitely not living comfortably in Germany, unless for comfortable you mean sleep 20 in a room (which I have done in the past btw).


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

The foreign student offices of German universities recommend €700-800/month for a simple student lifestyle.
The official poverty level (and also the level of social security payments) is around €650/month for a single person. It is definitely possible to live on that, and many people are in fact doing it.
Comfort is a subjective concept, but having a few hundred € more certainly affords some "luxuries".


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## alihasan (Mar 29, 2013)

Thanks guys. One more thing, is accompanying spouse allowed to work?


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

Your spouse can only accompany you if you can prove sufficient income to provide for her.
As a student (who is only allowed limited work in the term breaks) that is not possible.
So your wife would have to get a work permit on her own merit, which might be difficult.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

alihasan said:


> Thanks guys. One more thing, is accompanying spouse allowed to work?


Germany does not take the view that students should usually bring dependents. 

You will need to show sufficient finances to maintain both of you without work or public funds. There is no official minimum provided, so you'd have to ask the German Embassy about what they would regard as sufficient.

Your wife would not automatically get the right to work. Is she highly skilled?

Your living expenses would go up considerably. It might be difficult to find a shared flat that takes on couples, so you might have to rent a flat of your own and any student discounts you will get (public transport, etc.) will not apply to her.

So, if you have the money to pay all this, I think it's a brilliant idea to bring her with you, as life in a foreign country is always easier when you have your spouse with you.


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