You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seriously asked myself if moving to Munich was actually a good idea.
A couple weeks ago, mindlessly scrolling through reddit, I came across a post on /r/IWantOut about everyone’s personal pros and cons of “getting out”. I stopped scrolling. I thought to myself, “Shit, have I ever even thought about that?”. Maybe I’ve been simply too busy for a retrospective look back at that decision. Maybe I’ve just assumed it was a good decision because it was what I decided to do at the time.
In any case, that Reddit thread made me think about it. I left a long comment in that thread back then, but I want to revisit the topic today. Reading the other comments was really quite interesting, so if you want to take a looksie yourself, here’s the link to the thread. In this post, I want to break down my personal pros and cons of moving 5,000+ miles from home.
I’m just passing the 2-year mark this week, so was it a good idea after all? What are the benefits and losses I’ve experienced by moving here?
My Pros of Moving to Munich
Below is just a small list of the benefits I’ve seen from moving to Munich. I know there are several that I’m forgetting, but these are the most important that popped into my head.
Cost of Living in Germany
- We have a pretty nice place and don’t pay too much. It’s not big by German or US standards, but our apartment is comfortable and well-equipped. Finding a place of similar quality, location, and price in Chicago would have been very hard to find, even in – relatively – cheap Chicago.
- Health insurance and its stability. I just don’t have to worry about not having it, especially as a student and future self-employed person. The system will be a bit worse off for me next year as a self-employed person if I go that route, and stay on the public plan (more info on German health insurance here). I could also get my insurance through a part-time job, which would be much better than having to pay both the employer and employee parts of the cost myself. Even then the costs depend on my income, but will probably be around ~300€ a month for full public coverage.
- The food here, especially bought at the store, seemed to be much cheaper than in Chicago. Seriously, I’m still amazed how little I pay nearly every time I go to the supermarket. Some more specialty-type items are more expensive and/or harder to find than they are at home, but most things are much cheaper. Of course, local dishes like Rouladen are much easier and cheaper to pull together than an American Thanksgiving dinner.
Learning about German culture, while expanding my set of cooking skills (meaning recipes I’ve screwed up once to learn how to do them properly). Rouladen is delicious!
- Also, our internet and mobile data plans are cheaper for mostly better service. My Telekom plan is pretty cheap and provides great coverage, and our internet plan is inexpensive and was hassle-free to start up. If you plan on moving to Germany, I highly recommend using the site check24.de to find and compare offers for all kinds of services.
Getting Around and Public Transport in Munich
I guess this might fall under cost of living as well, but I appreciate the public transportation here and the general lack of need for a car. This isn’t so different from when I lived in Chicago, I suppose. However, to travel anywhere outside the city you need to rent or have a car. That’s just not really the case here. Of course, train service to rural towns is pretty limited, especially on weekends. Many of them have a local/regional bus system, which is similarly limited with the size of the town. But that’s reeaallly rural then.
Even the small towns in the alpine regions of Allgäu and Austrian Tirol have a robust bus and train system. It’s especially convenient for getting to the numerous trailheads in nearby towns or getting back to your little village back after dinner and a few drinks. The fact that they run trains as small as this between these towns amazes me.
There’s something more than simply having public local and intercity transport. There is a general cultural approval and want for continuous improvement of these systems. For example, a new high-speed rail connection between Berlin and Munich will open to the public in December. It is going to be a massive improvement over current travel times. As a former civil engineer, and current transportation systems planner, it makes me very happy to live in a place where progress on public transportation is actually taking place.
On the topic of transport – I love just how pedestrian and bike-friendly Munich (and much of Germany) is. Chicago isn’t half bad itself, but it could learn a thing or two still. The thing that makes it so friendly to non-motorized transport here – that Chicago and other US cities lack – is a culture focused on pedestrians and cyclists.
Compared to cities in the US, drivers pay more attention here. Fewer cyclists ignore the rules of the road as well.
Chance to be Immersed in the German Language and Culture
A huge personal pro for me is that I am essentially forced to learn a new language! I certainly could survive without learning German, but I wouldn’t be a real member of society. Learning languages is interesting to me as an originally mono-lingual person. To that end, it’s great to live in a place that makes it very easy to learn. I don’t always have time to take German classes, but I have found a few other ways to continue learning German outside classes.
A big pro to me of the German culture is a generally slower atmosphere or approach to life. People actually take their vacation here and are encouraged to do so. Also, there are more vacation days to take. I really appreciate that that is the culture here, even if I haven’t worked full-time in Germany yet.
Moving to Munich gives me both the opportunity and the ability to visit so many amazing travel destinations in Europe, like Lake Bled in Slovenia. With the extra vacation days, I’ll be able to get out more often and for longer periods than I ever would in the US.
To me and many people my age, the work-life balance is a big topic. In my opinion, the culture tilts more towards the life side of that balance than in the US. I worked a fair deal in the US, but I had a better work-life balance compared to many of my friends. It’s not that Germans are “lazy” either, they’re known for working hard!
My Cons of Moving to Munich
Of course, life isn’t all unicorns and roses. Wait that doesn’t sound right. Waterfalls and meadows? Cute kittens and puppies? Alright, I’ll just google it…
Apparently, “sunshine and rainbows” is the proper pair, but I think I’ll stick with unicorns and roses, thank you very much. You get the idea, the grass isn’t Emerald Isle-green on the other side. There are definitely some drawbacks to moving to Munich vs. staying in Chicago.
Food and Restaurant Variety
Or more specifically, the relative lack of food variety. There are pretty good Vietnamese, some good Japanese, passable Mexican, and some other rarer cuisines like Georgian and Peruvian that are actually decent here. But generally, none of them hold a candle to food (and definitely service) quality back in Chicago. This is especially with classic US foods like burgers and BBQ. Nothing here comes close to back home.
An American stereotype of Germany that actually holds to be pretty true, about the sausages at least.
Chicago is an amazing food city for anything you could possibly want, and Munich is…well, really mostly pork and potatoes. Mind you, these are very delicious pork and potatoes, but that’s the general fare here. Though I will say that the Italian food in Munich is exceptional.
Bars
There’s also a weird (to me) lack of variety in the bar scene. There are good spots here and there, sure. Of course, by now I know the ins and outs of the city and have my own regular haunts. But generally, the bar scene back home was vastly more diverse in the styles of pubs and bars available. Here there are great beer halls and beer gardens – things we don’t have in the US. In Munich, there are a few of your typical college-style bars, cafe-bars, dive bars, and local corner pubs. There are also quite a few clubs in Munich since that scene is generally much bigger here.
Don’t get me wrong – I love the Biergartens and all that comes with them. I just wish there was a wider variety of drinking establishments.
What I miss is that in between style of bar. This might be hard to explain. What I mean is that kind of bar that is popular, large, serves drinks at a fair price, and turns into a bit of a party later in the evening. Chicago, and the rest of the US too, has a much different bar scene, and obviously a much bigger selection. I often find myself trying to find a place for several of us to go to after drinking at our apartment, and it’s actually difficult. Trying to find the right place – one that’s big enough to guarantee spots for us, has the right vibe, and fair drink prices – is surprisingly difficult. I’ve actually started a pretty big list of places to visit in Munich to search out a go-to group spot.
Again, the service aspect comes in here too. I have had some nights at cafe-bars especially when I’ve waited 45+ minutes for the waitress to come back around after we had finished our drinks. Though honestly, I’ve had better luck at bars than at restaurants generally.
Income, Taxes, and Bureaucracy
Two topics that are sure to be on any list of the cons of moving to Munich, or Germany overall, are income and taxes. I haven’t been hit too hard by this yet, but I will be next year once I begin working full-time again. We’ll see how I feel about it then, but hey at least I’m not double paying yet!
US and German Taxes
US citizens are liable for US federal taxes no matter where they reside. However, the US and Germany, as well as many other countries, have treaties to prevent double-taxing expat’s income. Currently, any income up to somewhere around $101k is free of US federal income tax. If I do get to that point, I’ll be making enough to not really care. Additionally, salaries are generally lower here. That will hurt, but that’s also why I’m looking to start my own business in the future. We’ll see how it goes.
On the topic of starting a business and taxes – it really is hard to jump through all the hoops here. Paddling your way upstream through the bureaucracy is difficult in many ways, especially if you don’t speak fluent German. Even at 2 years in with my German around a B1/B2 level, those forms and the office workers are still pretty difficult to understand.
I’ve had good and bad experiences with the German bureaucracy, but it still takes a ton of research online to find the answers to every little question you have before going in for that meeting.
Being Away from Home
Maybe the saddest challenge I’ve faced since moving to Germany is the most predictable, but that doesn’t lessen its effects. The worst part of being away from home is being away from my friends from family. Obviously, I’ve made a life here, but most of my friends and family are back home and I really do miss them. It’s like some sort of souped-up FOMO, knowing I’m missing out on literally everything my friends and family are doing.
I got to spend New Years Eve 2016-2017 in Chicago with some of my best friends in the city. It’s nights like that, and just random evenings out at the local pub that I’m going to miss the most.
I’m missing everything from your average Friday nights out to most of my friends’ weddings. I know we’re all still good friends and all, but I certainly can’t be as close with them as I used to. Hell, I’m 5,000 miles away after all. I really do miss them 🙁
Another big challenge of moving to Germany and being away from home has been adjusting to the differences between our cultures. I often like to equate this struggle to something akin to reverting to the cultural equivalent of a 5-year-old. I’ve talked about this idea in lots of posts, and I plan to write about it more directly someday soon. For now, check out Ceiling Lights, Internet Cables, and Ranch Dressing (one of my favorite titles!), Celebrating Thanksgiving in Germany, and The Settlement Curve, to name a few.
Suffice it to say that things I took for granted back home have been much more difficult than I could have ever imagined. Everything from visiting the doctor to taking clothes to the dry cleaner is more difficult simply because I don’t understand the society like a local does. It’s a painful and humbling process to achieve a local’s understanding of the intricacies of a new culture.
Was Moving to Munich a Good Idea?
Wow – well this post has turned into a 2,000+ novella. But, I think I covered a ton of important topics in one space. I know there are things I missed so please add your own pros and cons of moving to Munich, or wherever, in the comments below!
It may be no surprise to you that I think, in the end, moving to Munich absolutely was a good idea for me. To be honest, I think it was a very, very good idea. I have grown and learned so much in the last 2 years, more than I ever imagined I would in that time. As I’ve written about before, my life in Chicago was great, but I felt I needed a change. I felt I needed a challenge. Something was pushing me to break out of what I felt was a mold for my life.
One of the few benefits of commuting via train in Chicago, very early in the morning, was seeing the city as it woke up. The river was never more still than early mornings in winter.
I thought of moving to Munich as a way to kill two birds with one stone. I had the opportunity to study and get a master’s degree and a chance to experience a new part of the world. With that chance, I’ve learned a new language and learned to see the world from another perspective. I’d say all that is worth giving up 2 years behind a desk in a fluorescent-lit office building in the suburbs of Chicago, and the accompanying 1+ hour commute.
Comments
When I take online questionnaires about places I should move, Germany always ranks high on the list, right up there with New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. I don’t think I’m ready to make a move just yet, but given the craziness of US politics, it’s always a possibility.
Normally, I wouldn’t advise moving due to politics as it seems more like “running” from something instead of to something. I always believed having a positive reason to make big changes is the only way to keep yourself in the right mentality through the immigration and settlement process.
Fortunately, it looks like you also have an interest in living abroad generally, which is GREAT! That’s essentially why I moved, I just felt kinda stuck on a track that I was put on once I graduated high school and went to college for civil engineering. I wanted to move to experience a new place, learn a new language, and frankly, challenge myself. Moving to NZ, Aus, and the UK would be ostensibly easier than moving to Germany, simply because of the language barrier. But, I can attest to it being a great place to live. 🙂
Thanks for commenting and thanks for putting out great stuff all about beer on your site!
First, Rouladen is delicious. My husband’s family is German and we have relatives in many areas of the country. I have often wondered about living abroad. Your blog is a wonderful resource. Thank you.
Thanks for the positive feedback, Leah! I assume you’ve visited here with your husband, do you have a favorite part of the country you’ve been to then? I’m very curious!
About living abroad – I am working on a post with the title “should I live abroad?” which tackles a lot of those early questions and hesitations that we all have when we think about uprooting our lives and moving abroad. Check in here in about a week when I have it up, or subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss it!
Again, thanks for the kind words – it always means a lot to hear from readers. 🙂
Great write up! A lot of my “pros” for Berlin are the same as yours, though I’m surprised you find the cost of living low — I was shocked by how expensive the food, rent, and even the cost of bus tickets in Munich is! But I guess, relative to Chicago, maybe it’s still a good deal 🙂 On the cons – sounds like my cons from when I lived in Leipzig. I was ready to leave Germany because of the food. Luckily Berlin is a bit more international and the food scene is pretty great. You should come try our US-style burgers 😉
Thanks for commenting, Monica!!
I think compared to any major US city, any city in Germany would seem cheap! Maybe the smaller cities start getting competitive with the cost of living here, but of course, the salaries aren’t as high in the smaller cities. You can’t win ’em all! 🙂
I’ve solved the food problem a couple of ways – heading to Asian and Turkish groceries when I’m looking for something special (read: with any spice whatsoever besides basics, though this is getting better!), and seeking out the “new wave” of restaurants in Munich, which really do offer great and more authentic stuff, but they’re a bit hard to find and usually more expensive.
I really do need to get to Berlin… we thought we might head there for NYE but other plans formed. Very soon though, I’ll start looking for tickets! We’ll see how the burgers compare to In-N-Out, which we’ll be trying in August this year! 🙂
Nice piece of writing!
I’m moving to Munich in 2 weeks – I’m most concerned about the food, to be honest 😀
Thanks for sharing – it’s good to know what I can expect.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for the positive feedback 🙂
Where are you from, and what are you concerned about – the variety? It has gotten better like I said. You’ve just gotta search out what you want, or learn to make it from home! That’s been my way of dealing with this problem at least. Good luck with your move, I hope it all goes smoothly!
Hi!
Just found your blog randomly and needed to post a comment. I just got back from the US today after living in Chicago for roughly a year and living in Atlanta for about 4 months. I was born and raised near Munich and I always hated the city and after I started my adventure in the US I started to dislike Germany as well. Now that I have to be back here things kinda changed and your post really pointed out some things that I do love about my country – so thank you for that haha! Anyways, what I actually wanted to say is: if you ever need help from a native especially when it comes to our lovely bureaucracy I would love to help you in any way I can!
Prost,
Isabel
Well, first of all, that is very kind of you Isabel!! Luckily I’ve got my wonderful German gf who helps me with Beamter and dreaded phone calls to the landlord and what not. 🙂 Even though sometimes her not being from the south makes some things difficult for her to understand as well!
What did you like about Chicago, and what about Atlanta? I’d love to hear about your experiences there!
Prost und liebe Grüße aus Haidhausen 🙂
Haha I totally get it. Sometimes it‘s even hard for me to understand when some old Bavarian tries to say something and I grew up here so… 🤓
I loved everything about Chicago. It‘s such a beautiful city and it just felt like home right away. The people there were so open-minded and friendly (like most of the Americans in general in my opinion) and I just had the best time of my life there.
Atlanta tho.. Well, I didn’t like it that much. The people were completely different. Friendly, sure but more conservative and I just can’t deal with that haha. Also I lived like an hour outside of ATL and it was very hard to get downtown cause their public transportation system is a fucking joke.
I miss Chicago and America every single day but I just moved to Bogenhausen and started a new job and all so I should be fine 😄
If you guys ever want to hang out, just let me know!
Cheers
Oh man, you’re right next door! Send me an email or contact me on FB/Twitter if you want to grab a beer and chill on the Isar this summer. We’ve got a nice new little grill that’s making us head down to the Flaucher area quite often already in this weather!
Yea. Old Bavarians are simultaneously the worst and the best people I’ve had contact with here in Munich. Some are what you expect, “get off my lawn” types, and others are just the nicest most approachable people I’ve ever met.
So glad you loved Chicago! It really is a nice place to live, but don’t tell that to the people there, we always find something to complain about… 😉 I’ve never been to ATL, but I can imagine living outside of it and dealing with any sort of public transport in “the south” is going to make life especially hard.
Hit me up if you want to hang out this summer – prost! 🙂
Tom
Very insightful read. I might be relocating to Munich in a couple of months due to work, it’s good to know what I’ll find over there. German culture has always fascinated me, I guess I’m in for a treat! Thank you!
Thanks again, Darryl! Munich is a great place to live, and it shows – the city is always at or near the top of quality of life rankings. I think many of the reasons I list and talk about in this post relate directly to that.
Do you speak any German? I highly suggest just dipping your toes into the language gradually before you move – it helps a ton! Check out this other post I wrote about learning German on your own.
Great Info! I am moving to Germany to join my pregnant fiance whose a German citizen living in Munich. While I have visited plenty of times, now comes the hard part of moving there and being successful. I only speak Germany at a B2 level, so I really need to find a job that doesn’t require much German. Do you have any recommendations? I come from a long career in restaurant and hotel management but recently made a career move to graphic and web design. I’m super nervous about finding an English speaking job so any advice at all would be very appreciated.
Thanks
Hey Matthew,
Actually, I think you’re in a pretty good position. You could work in both fields here in English, at least I think you could find the work. Also, B2 is definitely good enough to find work. Interviews might be tough, I’m between B2 and C1 myself, and I’m a little nervous for any upcoming interviews I might have. But still, B2 is pretty damn good compared to where most people start out.
Lots of companies are looking for graphic and web design, and those that are seem to be more focused on English (for obvious reasons). Check:
https://de.indeed.com/
https://jobspotting.com/
https://www.xing.com
and Google 🙂
I think that starting work as a freelance graphic and web designer might be a good move for you as well, if you want to go that route. If that’s the case, then you probably know what you need to do better than I do. The site https://ohgodmywifeisgerman.com/ was created by an American graphic designer/artist from the USA who moved to Germany with his wife as well. Contacting Mike there might be helpful!
Best of luck with the move! Don’t bring too much stuff with 🙂
Tom
This was a great read! I’m an American from NYC and considering relocating to Munich for work and I am really on the fence. NYC sets a high bar in terms of convenience and plethera of things to do, see, and eat… but I could use a change of scenery (and pace!). Thanks for the insight.
It would be terribly hard to beat NYC in terms of accessibility to “stuff to do” at least indoor stuff. I’d say Munich only has it beach in the outdoor stuff to do category, with the rivers, parks, lakes, and of course, the Alps so close by! If you have any specific questions about the move or about Munich, let me know!!
did you happen to go to TUM? you mentioned you studied Civil Engineering. I applied for an English taught masters program there and I have been waiting for my papers to get processed. You did not mention much about weather. How is it compared to Chicago? Not sure how I will handle it (I currently live in Virginia)
Hey Sezzy – yes I did go to TUM! You can see pics of it in some of my other posts. I studied civil engineering in the US and did my master’s in transportation systems here. Think between civil (transport) engineering and urban planning. I hope all goes well for you!
The weather in Munich is comparable with that of Chicago, though definitely milder on both ends. It will not get quite as cold as there nor as hot. Summers tend to hang around 80 degrees F, sometimes hotter sometimes cooler. Pretty sunny, depending on the year. In winter, the amount of snow depends on that particular year, but generally we don’t get near as much as in Chicago, though being so close to the mountains throws in a bit of uncertainty there. They certainly get dumped on.
One mantra I always promote is “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing”. Gotta have the right jacket/coat for the weather. I have quite a few now. Shoes are the second biggest, if not the biggest pinch point. Make sure you’ve got some good waterproof nice looking boots for the winter season. Lots of rain, and snow when its cold enough. Don’t worry at all though, you’ll be fine 🙂
If you have any more questions, reach out to me via the Contact page!
Merry Christmas, happy Holidays, fröhliche Weihnachten, und so weiter 🙂
Tom
Hi Tom, I really liked your insights on living in Munich. I’m a musician and was wondering about this aspect regarding Munich. I am familiar with the varied music scene in cities in the North such as Hamburg, but have no knowledge about Munich. What are your opinions on variety, places to perform live music (mostly original pop/rock acts) and how people regard live music?
Thank you!
Hi Tom, your point of view is quite “original”, it is the first time someone doesn’t complain about cost of living in Munich, especially regarding the cost of apartments. And it is also the first time I hear someone not complain about German food.
Hey Tom,
thanks for the article.
For moving company, we moved from Italy to Munich with Smoovr. They managed everything and communicated to us in English. Was great!
Thank you for the article! I stumbled on this while looking into living in Munich while sitting in my living room here in Lincoln Park – LOVE the early morning shot of the train over the river here 🙂
If there’s any chance you’re still responding to this article 2.5 years later… here’s to hoping!
I stumbled across your website searching for expat resources here in Munich, and loved your writing style and information. Do you have any recommendations for finding a job here in Munich with an A1 level of German? Preferably one that doesn’t require me to go back to my fallbacks like waitressing, retail sales, or nannying! My boyfriend is from Munich and thought I would have an easier time finding work because most companies speak English, but after seven months of job applications it’s become so clear the need to also have at least a B2 level of German. I am enrolled in language courses but the reality of becoming B2 is years away.
How are non/tech English speakers succeeding in this German job market?
Hi Brittany!
I still check this site fairly often as I do intend to keep it not only existing, but hopefully one day active again.
A1 German is tough. Most companies speak English? This is news to me 😉
I don’t think B2 is super far off, probably around a year and a half or two years away if you work decently hard at it.
Some of my friends who speak English at work tend to struggle getting their roots set in Germany because they just can’t integrate without a truly common language with the society they’re in.
I think a fallback isn’t a terrible idea for the time being, you can make some money while depending on the job, making friends and continuing to settle into Munich. I have plenty of friends who did just that! I mean I was here for 2.5 years getting my Master’s (in English) and after my thesis it took me around 8 months to land a “real” job. I had picked up being a tour guide in the meantime which allowed me to make some money before I found a job in my field.
I was lucky that my first “real” job accepted my level of German which was probably between B1 and B2 at that point. Having previous work experience in a very niche and also somewhat internationalized sub-field of civil engineering, airport design, is probably what allowed to get my foot in the door with my middling German. Then, once I was in…working in German every day, writing emails and reports, speaking to colleagues and eventually clients, listening to very technical conversations and learning to add my piece…et cetera et cetera… my language skills really, really improved quickly! No surprise there 🙂
I think the reality is that while in Germany long-term, speaking German is a must, which I think you’ve understood as you enrolled in courses. In the mean time, fallbacks aren’t so bad! Take the time to adjust! It is a huge life change after all.
If you wanna talk more, send me an email at tom@abroadamerican.com or find me on insta/twitter etc.