Key Points to ask yourself before you consider relocation.
Before you relocate to Germany or any other city, it’s important to do your research so you are not surprised by how expensive the city is. Realistically you will be moving from a country of lesser salary and a lesser cost of living. A €90,000 salary might look great when you earn €30,000 but what if that city is 4 times more expensive than where you are now.
Below I’ve made a list of some of the most important points I would recommend you ask yourself prior to applying for jobs in away from your current location.
Establish the cost of Living:
I recommend using Numbeo and comparing the cost of living from your home country to Berlin or any other city you are thinking of relocating to. There are other sites available but this one is the most popular.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Berlin
What will your salary be after tax?
Using the information you got from Numbeo calculate what net salary you need. Per year/ Per Month etc...
https://www.bbx.de/grossnet-wage-calculator-germany/
How are you going to get here?
Are you expecting a relocation package? If so, how much does it need to be? If you don’t get one what will you do?
Pick which area you would like to live in and check to see how possible it is to commute to the companies you would like to work for.
Schools for your children:
Is finding an English-speaking school for your children a priority? If it is do your research, know how many schools there, what ones are available and how early you need to register to get in. Most important, know the cost involved.
Look at the prices of rent in the area you would like to live:
https://www.immobilienscout24.de/
Number 1 Question that I am asked… Do I need to speak German to work in Germany:
NO! about 99% of all tech companies in Germany use English as the primary language. It’s always a bonus if you try to learn the local language thought and in some companies classes are offered.
Use your Network…
Who do you know who is already living in Germany, ask them for relocation advice, how would they do it again, how do they feel the costs compares to your home country?
Senior Data Scientist / Engineer @ Silence Therapeutics plc | University Lecture | PhD in Bioinformatics
5 年Berlin is a young and active city! I really like Berlin
Building Custom LLMs | Data Scientist | AI | Product Innovator | start-up | Traveller ??
5 年Thanks for the article very usefull
Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Imaging - Industry Expert in Automotive Imaging
5 年A great city. I spent most of my twenties there and worked for AVM, and though I live in Galway, which is great, I still miss Berlin.
Head of NDT-CE division at BAM
5 年I still think my home is one of the greatest cities on the planet. Not only for work - for quality of living as well. And easy to survive with € 90000/year (but yes, more than 50% are gone after taxes and social insurances). Learning German will make things easier, even if Mark Twain said: Life is too short to learn German.
ACCA Student | Accounts Assistant | Finance Assistant | Administrative Assistant | Bookkeeper
5 年Really useful article! Thanks for sharing!