4 ms·

I've just made the same move, feel free to get in touch if you have any more questions! I've only been here for about 3 weeks so far, so don't have much data, b

I've just made the same move, feel free to get in touch if you have any more questions! I've only been here for about 3 weeks so far, so don't have much data, but €500/month for living costs seems easy. Rent, depending on what you want, is probably about 80% of what you pay for a comparable flat in London. You can probably get 2 bedrooms (+living room) with all the bills included for about €800. Just be prepared for seriously unfurnished flats: sometimes you need to get your own kitchen! Also it apparently takes a lot more time and paperwork than in London to find something - people say 3-4 months is normal and I'm still looking. Good luck!

levosmetalo 13y ago
One tip about finding an apartment from another foreigner in Germany... Just find some local friend that speaks local dialect and ask him to call landlords for you. It can make your "time to apartment" much shorter (and cheaper).
- maciejgryka 13y ago
  That's so true. I'm lucky to have a German-speaking girlfriend and it makes a huge difference.
superplussed 13y ago
When people say that it will take 3-4 months to find an apartment, what are they doing in the meantime? Renting short-term apartments such as sublets?
- rglullis 13y ago
  Yes. It took me 2 months to find a place in a WG. In the mean time I was hopping around AirBNB and friends.
- killerpopiller 13y ago
  ..living your way up, stay in a shitty flat and search from there for a better one. It depends of course where you are, but we (WG) searched for a new flat five months.
junto 13y ago
I've been in Germany a number of years now. If you are freelancing then get a good accountant is the one tip I would give. The Germans take tax matters very seriously.
- superplussed 13y ago
  I assume you got the freelancer's visa? How hard was that process? Were you able to get it in your first 3 months to avoid making a visa run?
  - e12e 13y ago
    If (s)he's not from the EU/Schengen area, in which case no visa is needed...
    - junto 13y ago
      Correct. I'm lucky to be an EU citizen. No visa required.
killerpopiller 13y ago
rent varies drastically throughout Germany. To get a feeling, use the well frequented http://www.immonet.de/ http://www.immonet.de/ http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/wohnen/index.jsp;jsessionid=B32046DE59CF3704460A3075FA76C8ED.worker1 http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/wohnen/index.jsp;j... ..and it is true, unfurnished is standard

levosmetalo 13y ago

One tip about finding an apartment from another foreigner in Germany... Just find some local friend that speaks local dialect and ask him to call landlords for you. It can make your "time to apartment" much shorter (and cheaper).

maciejgryka 13y ago
That's so true. I'm lucky to have a German-speaking girlfriend and it makes a huge difference.

superplussed 13y ago

When people say that it will take 3-4 months to find an apartment, what are they doing in the meantime? Renting short-term apartments such as sublets?

rglullis 13y ago
Yes. It took me 2 months to find a place in a WG. In the mean time I was hopping around AirBNB and friends.
killerpopiller 13y ago
..living your way up, stay in a shitty flat and search from there for a better one. It depends of course where you are, but we (WG) searched for a new flat five months.

junto 13y ago

I've been in Germany a number of years now. If you are freelancing then get a good accountant is the one tip I would give. The Germans take tax matters very seriously.

superplussed 13y ago
I assume you got the freelancer's visa? How hard was that process? Were you able to get it in your first 3 months to avoid making a visa run?
- e12e 13y ago
  If (s)he's not from the EU/Schengen area, in which case no visa is needed...
  - junto 13y ago
    Correct. I'm lucky to be an EU citizen. No visa required.

killerpopiller 13y ago

rent varies drastically throughout Germany. To get a feeling, use the well frequented http://www.immonet.de/ http://www.immonet.de/ http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/wohnen/index.jsp;jsessionid=B32046DE59CF3704460A3075FA76C8ED.worker1 http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/wohnen/index.jsp;j... ..and it is true, unfurnished is standard