As an American resident, you are used to the big city life with pollution, noise, and quite a hectic daily routine. You must work extremely hard, even 8 hours shift a day, to afford to live in the United States. Now when you are planning to move to another country, what can be a better option than moving to Germany?
Despite being the largest and wealthiest country in the EU, Germany is generally quite an affordable place to live. You can lead a peaceful life as living costs are much cheaper here in Germany than in its neighbors in the west and north. The country offers top-notch education facilities, healthcare benefits, high wages, etc.
Now let us take a look at the best places to live in Germany for an American:
- Hamburg
Hamburg is renowned for its famous harbor area, ‘the port of Hamburg’ as it flaunts over 2000 bridges across the city’s rivers and canals. The city is relatively safer than any other metropolitan city in Europe. Even women can roam around the city freely during the night as well.
The northern city will capture your heart with its Lake Alster, alluring shopping districts, beautiful neighborhoods, numerous cultural events, and of course, seafood. You can have the best and fresh seafood cuisine in Hamburg, straight from the sea.
The living costs are slightly higher than in other cities and almost 9% more expensive than in Berlin. That is because Hamburg has the highest number of millionaires, and its corporations relating to the media have created a strong economy.
The education in Hamburg has a worldwide standing as having the finest universities and colleges. Hamburg’s universities, like the Hamburg University of Technology and the Hamburg University of Applied Science, attract many foreign exchange students as well.
- Munich
Munich is a major tourist destination as being here will let you relish an experience straight out of the books of German stereotypes. The city has vast breweries, offering world-famous beer. Munich is also the safest city in Germany as it has the lowest crime rate.
Munich is known as one of Germany’s most expensive cities and comes at 49th place in Europe. This is because the town is trendy among German locals and foreigners as well. The rent is much higher than in other German cities, but you do not have to worry too much as the economy is balanced by paying the foreigners well enough. If you are planning to move to Berlin, you can easily rent a property in Berlin as there are plenty of options available to suit every budget and lifestyle even in trendy neighborhoods which offer a vibrant cultural scene and are popular among expats.
Munich offers exceptional career opportunities for expats in the financial services, consumer electronics, and automobile industry. Additionally, Munich is known to provide top-ranked education systems.
- Berlin
Berlin is home to many eccentric historical buildings and is continuously reinventing itself exceptionally. At first, you may consider Berlin as a grey, concrete forest. However, upon entering the city, you will see its alluring natural beauty as it has various parks, rivers, and lakes.
Berlin is undoubtedly the startup center point of Germany that triggers entrepreneurs to transform their thoughts into actual businesses. Berlin aces both new companies and huge corporations. That is why many influential organizations are situated in Berlin, including Zalando, hello fresh, Pfizer, SAP, or Flixbus.
The educational institutions are famous for their English-educated projects. The Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, and the Technical University of Berlin are renowned worldwide for their quality higher education. Berlin is also perfect for those who enjoy the nightlife. The famous underground nightclub Inside Berghain offers hard-core parties you definitely do not wanna miss.
- Frankfurt
Frankfurt, also called Mainhattan, is the central business city of Germany. It seems just like being in New York City with its galvanizing skyscrapers and fast-paced business vibes. It was recognized as the city with the best infrastructure globally and is ideal for expats looking to kick-start their careers.
International students with a keen interest in finance and business can choose from a wide range of English-taught higher education institutions. These include Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, University of Music and Performing Arts, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, University of Applied Science Frankfurt.
Frankfurt has a high employment rate and offers vast job opportunities to expats. You can expect an adequate salary here that will cover all your living expenses. But due to its strong economy, the rents are much higher than in other German cities.