# Living and Working : Germany



## vin2win (May 18, 2013)

This thread is to discuss about living and working in Germany.

Living:
- Things need to carry with you from home country
- Food
- Buying a car
- Rent or owing a flat
- Transport
- Clothing

Working:
- Bank accounts
- Commuting
- Taxation


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## vin2win (May 18, 2013)

Can someone please let me know what are the things one need to keep in mind(checklist of things) when moving from home country(India) to Germany?


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

Don't forget to pack your leather shorts.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

It's a rather wide-open question you're asking. There are literally books written on the subject (some even include checklists) - check Amazon or another online bookseller under "living and working in Germany" to see what's available in your area.

And even after you've read a couple of books on the subject, you'll certainly have more specific questions. That's what we're here for. 

Do you have a job lined up in Germany? (That's probably the first big "what you need" item.) It's not easy to get hired at a distance. Once you have a job offer, however, your employer can be a valuable resource for some of the specifics.
Cheers,
Bev


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

This thread is to discuss about living and working in Germany.

*Whoa! *

Living:
- Things need to carry with you from home country *Now that depends on your personal preferences and needs. If you live in a bigger city in Germany there will be some Indian shops but they will mostly be limited to spices, hair oil and such depending on how big the city is. Possibly one of these flat fry-pan like things that are used to make chapatti/roti/paratha?*

- Food *See above. The bigger the city, the more likely it is to have an Indian shop more or less nearby. Don't expect a local supermarket in a small town to have fresh chili.*

- Buying a car *Check first whether you can use your Indian driver's licence at all and if yes for how long. You will most certainly have to pass tests after that time period in order to get a German licence. Worry about buying a car afterwards. Public transport is usually available, reliable and widely used by people from all backgrounds.*

- Rent or owing a flat *Probably easier to get a flatshare first, most landlords require a credit check and salary slips. Also, a deposit of three months cold rent is usually asked for. You can buy a flat if you have your finances in place. No German bank is likely to give you a mortgage in the first few years of your stay/before you are on a long term/indefinite residence permit.*

- Transport *Of what? Public transport? Bigger cities have excellent bus/tram/underground/overground train networks.*

- Clothing *You will need warm clothing for winter and dress in layers. Warm socks and shoes, too. Less layers, though  My husband grew up walking barefoot in the house and keeps complaining about cold feet in autumn/winter/spring (sometimes even summer). I keep telling him to wear socks and slippers inside but 12 years do not seem long enough to break the habit.*

Working:
- Bank accounts *You will need one. Banks have different opening hours and conditions. You will need to shop around to see what meets your needs. I like Postbank because they are open on Saturdays and have a branch almost everywhere. *

- Commuting *From where to where? Using which mode of transportation?*

- Taxation *Higher than in many other countries but very much dependent on your personal situation (married/single, children, etc.)
*


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## vin2win (May 18, 2013)

ALKB said:


> This thread is to discuss about living and working in Germany.
> 
> *Whoa! *
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot ALKB for the valuable information.
Can someone let me know which is the best bank to open an account, especially for expats?


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