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Summary Cost of living ..................................................................................... 2

General cost of living .......................................................................... 2

Estate Agents and renting process .......................................................... 3

Local travel costs ............................................................................... 4

Tax in Germany .................................................................................. 4

Visa process ...................................................................................... 5

Health care costs ................................................................................ 6

Schools ............................................................................................. 7

Language courses ................................................................................ 8

Local attractions ................................................................................ 8

Bibliography: ..................................................................................... 9

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Cost of living The cost of living in Berlin is lower than other cities in Germany, it’s one of the cheapest cities in Western Europe. Rent per month

Type of apartment Price Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre

795.37 €

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre

574.05 €

Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre

1,569.44 €

Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre

1,088.14 €

Buy apartment

Apartment Price Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre

5,196.88 €

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre

3,525.00 €

N.B: apartments in Prenzlauerberg (Kollwitzplatz / Hemholtzplatz areas) in the centre are higher than the averages given above. Popular areas to live in Berlin:

• Berlin-Mitte: it is the heart of Berlin and an international area. • Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf: this area is a quiet place to live and it is characterized

by bourgeois and cosmopolitan residents. It is also a popular zone for families because there are a lot of green spaces and schools.

• Mitte / Prenzlauerberg: it is a nice area to meet many foreigners and Nordics and it is the perfect area for families with lots of parks, playgrounds for kids and restaurants.

• Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: it is one of the most modern areas in Berlin populated by young people and artists looking for a creative environment.

General cost of living

Restaurant prices

€ Average of prices in supermarket

€ Utilities monthly €

Meal (inexpensive Restaurant):

8 Milk (1 litre) 0.80 Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment

241.98

Domestic Beer (0.5 litre draught)

3.50 Bread for 2 people for 1 day

1.08 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)

0.09

Coke/Pepsi (0.33 litre bottle)

1.89 Eggs (12) 1.74 Internet (60 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)

31.05

Water (0.33 litre bottle)

1.56 Chicken Breast (1kg) 7.17

Cappuccino (regular)

2.71 Domestic Beer (0.5 litre bottle)

0.76

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Estate Agents and renting process

There is a wide range of available flats in Berlin. Thus, you can use 2 relevant solutions in order to have any advices or suggestions for moving out: - Use your own network: it includes your friends, your relatives to be more confident. - Ask for a company which is a specialist in relocation: they may help you to find the best locations and to give you a whole idea about the options you have. These links below can help you find accommodation: https://www.crocodilian.de/ is a rental agency which has more than 8 years of experience https://www.berlin99.com/ is a group of landlords which has over 10 years of experience in this field and they offer apartments to international people moving to Berlin https://www.wg-gesucht.de/ is the largest European portal for rooms in flat shares and rental apartments without commission https://www.city-wohnen.de/eng/berlin https://www.zwischenmiete.de/ www.immozentral.com www.immowelt.de www.my-next-home.de Besides, you can subscribe by sending an email to the newsletter Sherlock Homes Berlin which is a voluntary service that connects people offering or looking for an accommodation in Berlin. In some websites you can find those abbreviations as follows:

Abbreviation German English meaning AB Altbau Old building pre-1945 BK Balkon Balcony

KM Kaltmiete Cold rent (basic rent only with no additional costs included)

WM Warmmiete

Warm rent (includes additional costs such as water, property tax, chimney sweeping, street cleaning and waste disposal services)

NK Nebenkosten Extra costs BZ Badezimmer Bathroom ZH/GH/EH (Zentral-/Gaz-/Etageheizung) Central, gas and floor heating

If you want more information to rent an accommodation (Types of Rental Agreement, The Portfolio for Renting, etc.), you can find it on this website: http://hamburg.angloinfo.com/information/housing/renting-accommodation/

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Local travel costs

Tax in Germany

Expatriates living in Germany can be subject to German taxes, knowing that the German tax system is similar to the structures in other western countries. Individual Income Taxes

In addition to those individual Income Taxes, there is a solidarity surcharge of 5.5% of the tax in order to cover the costs of integrating the states of the former East Germany. Important: Deductions As in many other countries, Germany allows a variety of deductions that can lower taxable income. Deductions are taking into account for circumstances such as children under 18 (or under 27 if still attending school without earnings), charitable and political contributions to Germany. Deductions from compensation are also made for four social programs: - retirement - unemployment - health insurance - long-term nursing care

Tickets & Taxi Price One-way Ticket 2.80 € One-Day-Ticket 7 € Seven-Day-Ticket 30 € Monthly Pass 81.00 € Taxi Start 3.90 € Taxi 1km 2 € Taxi 1hour Waiting 30 €

Single person Married person Less than 9,000€ = TAX FREE

Less than 18,000€ for a married couple = TAX FREE

Up to 52,881€ = from 14 to 42% of tax

Up to 105,762€ = from 14% to 42% of tax

From 52,882€ up to 250,731€ = 42% of tax

From 105,764€ to 501,460€ = 42% of tax

Over the amount above = 45% of tax

Over the amount above = 45% of tax

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Visa process

There are 2 ways to get a Visa according the country you come from:

Who are concerned? Do you need a Visa? “Privileged” Nationals Citizens of Australia, Canada,

Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the US

They can: - enter the country without a visa - apply for a combined work and residence permit at the local Alien Department within 90 days.

Third-Country Nationals

Other non-European countries / outside the EU/EFTA

Need a D visa for employment if they have found a job in Berlin

Important: non-EU nationals with vocational training and work experience in selected skilled

jobs, as mechatronics, plumbing and sanitation, or healthcare have a better chance to get a work

permit.

For any further information, ask the German Embassy of your country. Make sure to apply

well in advance! (around 2/3 months before your departure)

What is required to obtain these visas?

Registration (Anmeldung)

After your arrival in Germany, you first need to register at any town hall in Berlin. Everybody

– including EU nationals and German residents – needs one!

Residence & Work Permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis & Arbeitserlaubnis )

You have to go to the foreign office (Auslaenderbehoerde) where you will have to present

yourself with the following documents in order to apply for a residence permit:

• A copy of the town hall registration form • Your passport • Two biometric passport pictures (according to the American standard) • A completed and signed application form • From your employer: work contract or letter stating your net income, job description

and health insurance details • Your CV and copy of your diploma • Original marriage certificate (if you are married) • A copy of the rental contract • Birth certificates or children's passports (if you bring children along) • Fee: €100 per adult / €50 per child (subject to change)

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Health care costs The German medical system is one of the best in the world. 90% of the German population is covered under statutory health insurance. Specifically, all workers are imperatively covered by public health insurance (Krankenkasse) if their income does not exceed a defined upper limit (in 2017: 57.600 € per year or 4.800 € per month). The health insurance rates are 15.5% of the monthly salary. Employees can choose among 100 state insurance companies. The health insurance covers: hospital stays, basic dental care, routine doctor visits, drugs, eyeglasses, immunizations and x-rays. It also compensates people for loss of income due to illness. Concerning EU citizens, they can obtain free medical and dental treatment in Germany with an European Health Insurance Card. Some of the most popular German insurance companies are:

• AOK http://www.aok.de/bundesweit/index.php

• Barmer GEK http://en.barmer-gek.de/barmer/web/Portale/English/Best-health-insurance/Startpage/StartPage.html

• Techniker Krankenkasse http://www.tk.de/ If you want more details about the German Health Insurance you can find them on this website: http://deutsche-sozialversicherung.de/en/health/index.html

Service Telephone

Police (Polizei) Tel: 110

Fire Service (Feuerwehr) Tel: 112 Ambulance (Rettungswagen) Tel: 112

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Schools

Berlin is certainly one of the most attractive university cities in Germany. Besides, there are more than 900 public and private schools, you can find private international schools and public bilingual schools.

Here are the most prestigious international schools and universities in Berlin:

International schools in Berlin

School Name School languages Ages

Berlin Bilingual School (BBS)

English and German 4-18

Berlin British School English and German 3-18 Berlin International School

English and German 4-18

Berlin Cosmopolitan School

English and German 3-18

International School Villa Amalienhof

English and Russian 2-18

John F Kennedy School Berlin

English and German: languages of instruction French: the second foreign language

3-18

Berlin Metropolitan School

English: language of instruction German: host country language Spanish and French: starting in Grade 7 Different language courses in the afternoon

3-18

Universities in Berlin

University Description Free University of Berlin The largest university of Berlin

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin The second largest university in Berlin Technische Universität Berlin One of the largest polytechnic universities in

Germany Berlin University of the Arts One of the biggest, most diversified and

traditional universities of the arts world-wide

Academy of Music “Hans Eisler” One of the leading colleges of music in Europe

University of Applied Sciences Berlin (HTW)

The largest university of applied sciences in Berlin

Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR)

One of Berlin’s largest universities of applied sciences

Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences, Berlin (ASH)

The university has a long tradition in social work and health management

Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin – University of Applied Sciences – (BHT)

The university offers the widest range of engineering programmes in Berlin

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Language courses

Institute Website GLS German Language School https://www.gls-german-courses.de/ DeutschAkademie Language School Berlin

https://www.deutschakademie.de/berlin-german-course/

Sprachenatelier Berlin https://www.sprachenatelier-berlin.de/en The Goethe-Institut Berlin https://www.goethe.de/ins/de/ort/ber/kur/eni

ndex.htm

Local attractions

The Reichstag The German Parliament and one of the most famous monuments in Berlin.

The Berlin Television Tower It’s the highest publicly accessible building in Europe of 368 metres

The Brandenburg Gate: It is one of the most important monuments in Berlin and a historic symbol inside the city.

Alexanderplatz It is the largest square in Berlin and it is one of the major shopping areas in Berlin.

The Gendarmenmarkt: It is a square considered as the most beautiful and elegant place in Germany which includes both a French and a German cathedral.

The "Linden” It is the most beautiful boulevard in Berlin where are located some important institutions like the State Opera or the Humboldt University.

The Charlottenburg Palace: It is the most charming and the largest royal palace in Berlin

The Museum Island. It is an amazing ensemble of five museums and it is considered a part of UNESCO world heritage

The Zoologischer Garten It is the most popular zoo in Europe and one of the world's most important zoos.

The Berliner Dom: It is a Baroque basilica known as the “Protestant St Peter’s” build between 1894 and 1905.

The Checkpoint Charlie It was the checkpoint during the Iron Curtain allowing Non-Germans to cross between West Germany & East Germany.

The East Side Gallery: It is an international memorial for freedom which is a 1.3 km long section of the Berlin Wall.

Sony Centre:

This Sony-sponsored building is located at the Potsdamer Platz which opened in 2000 and is the Sony's European headquarters. You can find a mix of shops, restaurants, offices, art & cinema museums inside the centre.

The Holocaust Monument It is a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust on a 19,000 m2 (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 slabs.

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Bibliography: http://berlin.angloinfo.com/ http://www.numbeo.com/ http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/berlin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Tegel_Airport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Sch%C3%B6nefeld_Airport http://www.petrol1.de/ http://www.autoeurope.com/go/car-rental/germany/berlin/ http://www.visitberlin.de/ http://www.study-in-berlin.org/universities-berlin/ http://www.berlinfo.com/Lifetime/Shopping/food/supermarkets/ http://www.berlincityguide.net/moving-to-berlin/cost-of-living-in-berlin/ http://www.gls-german-courses.de/ http://www.deutschakademie.de/berlin-german-course/ http://www.sprachenatelier-berlin.de/en http://www.goethe.de/ins/de/ort/ber/kur/enindex.htm http://deutsche-sozialversicherung.de/en/health/index.html http://www.howtogermany.com/pages/healthinsurance.html