Advantages of Living in Germany

Germany is a country in central Europe bordering Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. With a total area of 357,022 square kilometers, Germany is the 63rd largest country in the world, ahead of the republic of the Congo and behind Japan, while it is the largest country in central Europe.

Germany has a population of little more than 83 million people, meaning that Germany is Europe’s 3rd most populated country, after Turkey and Russia. The largest cities are Berlin with more than 3.5 million inhabitants, Hamburg with 1.8 million and Munich with 1.5 million inhabitants. Berlin is Germany’s capital city, but it isn’t the city with the highest quality of life. Munich is world famous for being one of the world’s best cities to live in. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Munich is also Germany’s most expensive city.

German is the only official language in Germany. However, there are many different dialects that are spoken in different parts of the country. about 27% of the German population is catholic, 25% is protestant, 5% are Muslim and about 38% are non-denominational. In Germany, people pay with Euros. Germany has a social market economy with a highly skilled workforce, a low level of corruption, and a high level of innovation. It is the world's third largest exporter of goods, behind the USA ranking second and China. Germany also has the world’s fourth largest GDP. The car manufacturing industry is - as you may know - one of the most developed, competitive and innovative.

But besides that, the Germans also like to set up startups. Berlin is a hub for startup companies and has become the leading location for venture capital funded firms in the European Union. Germany is recognized for its large portion of specialized small and medium enterprises, locally called “Der Mittel stand”. These companies account for 97% of all German exports, and therefore, are commonly labelled as “The Hidden Champions”. Moreover, a lot institutions of the European Union are headquartered in Germany - for instance the European Central Bank or the European Aviation Safety Agency.

At the center of Europe bordering so many countries and often referred as one of the main engines of the European economy, Germany has a significant geopolitical potential. At least during the last century Germany has proven that is it one of the main powers and biggest players on the European continent. Germany is one of the founding members of the EU and is part of NATO.

What are the main advantages of moving to Germany? And what needs to be considered? As of the 2015 UN report, Germany ranks 2nd among the countries with the largest foreign-born population, ahead of Saudi Arabia and after the USA. 12 million people living in Germany, were not born in there, but moved to this country during their life. The biggest foreign populations are the Turks with 1.5 million residents, the Poles with 860’000, the Syrians with 750’000, the Romanians with 700’000 and the Italians with 640’000 residents.

In terms of percentage of foreign-born population to total population, Germany ranks 66th with 14.9%, meaning that 14.9% of the total German population was born abroad. In this statistic, Germany is heading Belize with 15% and is followed by the USA with 14.3%. But what are the advantages of moving to Germany? As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest up sites of moving to Germany is its economy. There are many international companies settled down in Germany, that are actively searching for well qualified workers. Besides technicians, engineers and computer scientists, Germany is in big need of doctors and nurses.

People also value Germany’s geographical location. As a traveler, you are able to reach many fascinating countries even by car. And some more informative facts: Germans are first when it comes to recycling, recycling is more of a national religion and Germans in general, love nature, forests and rural areas. Furthermore, Germany is the country with the most solar panels installed worldwide! Germany's renewable energy sector is one of the world's best developed. Public transportation is - at least in the cities - well organized and reliable. Living in the city, you probably don't need to buy a car which makes you safe a fortune. But if you are a car enthusiast, there also is no better place to live than Germany. Thanks to the famous German Autobahn, you truly can put your car to the acid test. There are highways where you are permitted to drive without having to stick to a speed limit.

Also, Germans are famous for their beer and bread. It's not unusual to see people having a beer at lunchtime. Germans consume 53 kilograms of bread every year - unsurprisingly Germany is the country with the biggest variety of breads. The cost of living in Germany is moderate. If you live off 2000 Euros per month in Dallas, Texas, you’ll need 2100 Euros per month to enjoy the same standard of living in Munich. This means, that the cost of living in Munich is just about 5% higher than the cost of living in Dallas. A 2-bedroom apartment in the city of Munich will cost around 1800 Euros per month. On average, the Germans earn almost 40’000 Euros annually - this makes Germany rank 19th worldwide. But in spite of the fact that Germany is the fourth largest economy, the median annual income is just 27’500 Euros - ahead of South Korea and following Finland. With a median wealth of 35’300 Euros, Germany ranks 21st among all countries worldwide in terms of median wealth per person.