Features of the budget
The cost of living in Metropolitan areas in Germany are much higher than in provincial cities. For example, in Munich, Hamburg and Cologne costs will be higher due to the high expenses on housing. In Chemnitz, Dresden and Erfurt rental properties are cheaper respectively, the same level of comfort will cost less money. On the other hand, in large cities it is easier to find a high paying job.
As in Russia, often representatives of the local population work in cities but live in the suburbs and willing to commute up to 50-100 km from the house. Transport costs can therefore constitute a significant part of the budget, but the time and money spent on the road, are compensated by the comfort of life in the suburbs. This lifestyle is typical for couples with children. Life in the city centre are preferred by students, unmarried couples, foreigners and retirees.
In the absence of own real estate, the largest item of expenses of inhabitants of Germany is rental housing: rental value often makes one third of the monthly expenses of the family. Necessities – food, clothes and mobile phones in Germany are very affordable for families of every social class.
It is impossible to affect the average rental rate on a home or the cost of food and medical care, so just to be Thrifty in Germany is not enough. On average, the student will need €670-€800 to cover the monthly living costs for a family of two adults and one child for a comfortable life would require approximately €3000 per month. If you compare the cost of living in Moscow and Berlin, in the Russian capital have more than €3500 to maintain the same standard of living that you can have in the German capital for €3000 (including the cost of rental housing in both cities).
Food prices
On the basis of the present relations of the ruble to the Euro, the food basket in the Russian cities cheaper, same set of products in Germany. According to data portal Numbeo, based on the feedback of local residents, the current value on commodities in Germany is as follows:
- Milk (1 liter) – €0,5-€0,76
- Loaf of fresh white bread – €1,38
- Eggs (12 PCs.) – €1,56-€1,76 (€0,13 per unit)
- Local cheese (1 kg) – €8,08
- Fruits and vegetables (apples, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes) – €1.4 to€2,3 per 1 kg (depending on season)
- Water (1.5 l) – €0.29 to€0,43
- Rice (1 kg) – €1,66
- Imported beer (0,33 l) – €0,98
- Local beer (0,5 l) – €0,82
- Bottle of wine – €1.2 to€5
- A pack of imported cigarettes (Marlboro) – €5.1 m.
In a bar or restaurant one glass of beer will cost about €3, pizzas from €4 to €6.
If to compare consumer prices in Munich and Berlin, it turns out that the cost of living in the capital of Bavaria is about 10% more expensive than in the capital of the state.
Clothing, entertainment, communications
Levi's jeans cost about €76, summer dress in a chain store for about €35, Nike sneakers €81, while men's leather shoes – €93.
A subscription to a gym or fitness club costs about €30 per month, one hour of training on the tennis court will cost more than €17 and one ticket to the cinema costs about €9.
The cost of a local mobile communication €0,1 per minute, and unlimited Internet with a speed of 6 MB/s will cost €22,5. In this case, a prepaid mobile connection with Internet access and 60 minutes of free calls costs €9 per month.
Rent and maintaining the property
As you know, Germany is a country of tenants. For example, only the tenth part of the inhabitants of Berlin lives in its own apartment, and, primarily, this is due to the large influx of migrant workers. Based on the data of the Institute of the German economy, currently the national average is about 46% of the residents live in their own apartment. In the near future to increase this figure to 50%.
Although there are no serious restrictions on property purchase by non-residents, foreigners and immigrants prefer to rent rather than buy housing. Last but not least this is because having your own home deprives of the rights to social benefits.
To date, the most expensive real estate both for purchase and for rent located in Munich – the Bavarian capital resident pays for the rent is on average €15,77 per 1 sqm In Berlin prices are more than reasonable – €9,47 /1 sq. m.
Rent in Eastern Germany are traditionally cheaper. So, rental housing in Dresden cost €7,11, and in Leipzig – €6 per square meter.
The content of your own apartment in Germany costs from €2,500 to €4,000 a year. This amount consists of taxes (land tax ratio is determined individually), utility payments, pay for insurance (about €200 per year) and service management company (€300-€600 per year). The annual rent of similar apartments is €8000-€9500. Monthly cost of utility payments for the apartment area of 85 sq m on average €250-€300, this includes payments for electricity, heating, water and garbage removal.
Education
Teaching in primary schools and almost all universities in Germany is free, even for foreign citizens. But students of all universities have to pay a semester contribution of about €250, which varies depending on the University and included in the payment for the services. So, the payment of social services (about €100) includes the ability to use the student cafeteria, dormitories, sports facilities and administrative services. Also in semester contribution may include a single ticket for public transport. Students with a pass can make free use of all public transport within the paid semester. Depending on the city and the University, prepaid transport increases the cost of semester fee €25-€160 per semester.
Transport
There are many choices of transportation in Germany, but not all of them are cheap. For example, to travel around the country most convenient by train with a regular intercity rail service is a more inexpensive alternative to parlays. The journey by bus usually cheaper than the train. If you book a ticket in advance, you can save well on the cost of it. The ticket for public transport costs 2.7 euros; travel, valid for a month, will cost €79,5. A taxi ride in Germany also not cheap: the average price is €3.2 m for fit and €1,77 € for each km. Since public transport is well developed mainly in the big cities, without a personal vehicle for the country to live uncomfortable. 1 liter of petrol costs here about €1,5. In the presence of a personal car tax and insurance will be €800-€1000 per year.
Medical care
If an insurance policy obtained by a foreigner in your native country is not recognized in Germany, you must purchase local health insurance – this is mandatory to stay in the country. So, for students (young people under 30 studying in Germany not more than 14 semesters) preferential medical policy – €80 per month. For older categories of the population have a monthly payment of medical insurance are between €160 and above. Its size depends on the age, health condition and required coverage amounts.
Medical insurance working person is the sum of the contribution from his employer, and himself. If one spouse does not work, then maintained the insurance of the other spouse. For the unemployed pays social insurance Fund. Private businesses pay for health insurance on their own.
Germany is among the top ten countries by total expenditure on health: according to world Bank data on health care in the country annually spends about 9% of GDP. For comparison from the Russian budget on similar costs are allocated only 3.2% less than in the Congo. Germany has about 2000 hospitals and about half of them are public. In turn, private hospitals are divided into commercial and non-commercial. But, in both private and public hospitals in Germany, you can count on a medical service of high level.
Portal HomesOverseas.ru thanks for the help in preparing the articles Hope the Prince (Prinz Dom), Suvorov Julius and Anna rising (A&J Premium Consulting).
photocredits: flickr, fotolia
Prepared By Olga Shoshina
HomesOverseas.ru
