The following letter was written by a programmer, who worked on a banking software project in Frankfurt in 1998, to a candidate inquiring about the cost of living in Germany.
Hi !
I can give you a few figures from memory.
A furnished apartment (2 bedrooms, central heating, etc) will depend on where you live. But you should be able to find a reasonable place for 2500 to 3500 DEM. All inclusive. Forget about buying property, it is very expensive. For the kind of house you are used to in SA, you will be paying anything from 600 000 DEM upwards, more likely over 1m DEM!
Telephone could be expensive, depending on the system installed in the apartment block. There could be up to 100% additional charges per call! A normal local call is about 0.20 DEM (slightly less, I think). A budget of 200 DEM will easily cover all local calls, and one or two average calls back to South Africa, on an expensive
building levy. You should be able to get by on half - 100 DEM.
Food, groceries, etc. This depends on how frugal you can be. If you watch your pennies, you can get by on 200 DEM per week (for a couple), for breakfast and supper. Lunch depends on the company you are working for. Most big companies have their own canteen which is often well subsidised. You could get a good meal for 5 DEM or less. Alternatively, pack your own sandwiches (add 100 DEM to your
monthly budget), or budget about 10 to 15 DEM per day to eat out at a local restaurant.
(See
Frankfurt Restaurant Guide)
The food in Germany is superb (and the beer), so it is easy to overspend on delicasies which you don't normally buy in SA. However, most of the good stuff is relatively cheap. You can get a very reasonable meal for 20 DEM per person at some of the local restaurants. Watch out for the expensive restaurants - the prices climb quickly. The beer is superb. A normal pils will cost about 3 to 4 DEM depending on the pub, and a weissbier is usually about 5 DEM (delicious).
Transport must be taken into account. A monthly ticket on the U-bahn, just for the immediate area around Frankfurt is about 105 DEM per month. This will depend on where you live and how far you have to travell. Taxis are good but use only when needed, an average trip of just a few kilometers will cost 15 to 20 DEM.
Sightseeing will cost you. There is an entrance charge to most of the castles, museums, art galleries, etc. Getting there is usually the biggest cost. The train system is excellent and there are superb weekend bargains you must enquire about. Wives and children can often accompany you for free on weekends. Learn the rules and the ins and outs of train travell as soon as possible.
During Summer there is a fest on somewhere every weekend. Good fun. The kids love them too. Go to as many as you can the first summer you are there. But be warned, the rides cost a fortune when you have a couple of kids who want ride on everything, and eat everything in sight. Look out for the firework displays, they are of a superior quality than what we are used too. Go for trips on the river cruises, day and night, they are good fun.
If you are planning big trips to other cities / countries, plan them well. They can be expensive, but there are always cheap ways of doing things or getting there if you are careful. Euro Disney is a rip - very, very expensive. Rather go to Europa Park, it is closer, more fun and a lot cheaper.
I can't think of any other major expenses. If you want to buy a car, you could get a really great BMW for the equivalent of about 3 or 4 months salary! Be careful about driving until you are used to being on the other side of the road. Petrol is just over 2 DEM per liter (I think), but you should not be using your car as often as the bahn systems.
Insurance will depend on you. Medical Aid and Pension schemes will probably require a proportional contribution from yourself. These must be negotiated with your employer.
Anyway, I hope this helps a little more. If you have any specific questions, please ask.
Good luck
Programmer's Living-Expense-Guide
to Frankfurt
