Living in Berlin Germany

Living in Berlin, Germany is this that you’ve always dreamed of? Do you want to move to Germany but you don’t know if Berlin, its capital, is a good option to live? Do you have no idea about German and want to know if in Berlin it is possible to live and work without knowing the language? Whatever is your interest in the city of Currywurst, don’t miss this article.

Working Holiday Visa in Germany

• Basic facts: we are Sebastian (26 years old) and Cecilia (27 years old) both former travel agents, born in Rosario, Argentina. We’ve been dating for almost six years. One day we decided to leave our jobs that we loved so much to go out and see the world.
• We were going to go to Disney in the beginning, but we thought two weeks wasn’t going to be enough. Then, we found out about the possibility of living in another country and above all working so that we could travel a lot.
• In 2019 we applied for our first visa in Copenhagen, Denmark and visited 8 countries (we had never traveled to Europe and we didn’t even know what it was like to live outside).

Why move to Berlin, Germany?

• Where do you live and why: we live in Berlin, Germany. We chose this country because we really liked the Working Holidays experience. We chose Germany because we like its lifestyle, for its economic stability and above all because of the number of English speakers out there.
• How long have you been living in Berlin, Germany? 4 months. We arrived on September 28th, 2020 (after suffering many flight cancellations). Until we got to the apartment, we couldn’t believe we’d finally arrived.

How the Working Holiday Visa works in Germany

The Working Holiday Visa is a program that allows you to travel to a country where your homeland has an agreement to live and work for a minimum of one year.

Living in Berlin, Germany: German

I (Seba) have been studying German since January 2020 so I have been able to communicate with old people who usually don’t speak English. Ceci did not study but she speaks English very well so she didn’t have so many problems.

When it comes to paperworks, they only speak to you in German (because they say that since they are not natives in English they don’t want to generate any misunderstanding or confusion).

Life and work in Germany

What are the Germans like: they are very direct (they don’t hesitate when they have to tell you something) they are efficient and very punctual. Don’t even think about being late without notifying it before (for them it’s disrespectful).

Curiosities about living in Germany vs Argentina: here they are not afraid to go through a park in the dark. Parks don’t have many lights but it’s common to see people taking their dog for a walk or walking with their partner in the middle of the night without any fear. I hope that we will be able to do this in Argentina one day.

What are germans like at work?

Well, punctuality is super important! And here things are always solved, that’s the reason why when you say that something is made in Germany or is German, you have that thought that it has a good quality.

What is the job search like in Berlin?

Today because of the pandemic everything turned digital, so obviously sending your resume by email and virtual interviews are very common, but delivering the resume in hand worked really well for me.

How much does it cost and how to live in Berlin?

It is super difficult to get accommodation in Berlin (even in times of pandemic without tourists). We moved into a new apartment and it took us a long time to get something with an acceptable price. We were paying 950€ for a whole apartment and when we were moving out, they didn’t come down from 1150-1200€. That’s why we moved into a shared apartment, we have the private room for us and we pay 750€ (you can also get something cheaper).

Living in Berlin, Germany: accommodation

On Airbnb, it’s great because they don’t ask for a deposit, but it’s more expensive than other platforms like Housinganywhere, Wg-gesucht, Facebook or WhatsApp groups.

Where to live in Berlin?

The best areas are always the ones that are close to the center, Mitte, Prenzlauer, Friedrichain are always the most recommended. We live in Neuk’lln and work in Kreuzberg, which although it is the least recommended to live, is the cheapest one, has many bars and restaurants and a lot of life. It’s a neighborhood that has art everywhere, the best murals are here. We get crazy every day with every painted building we see, they are amazing artists!

Living in Berlin, Germany : pros and cons

The best thing about living in Berlin is that the quality of life is excellent, we are very happy here. Taking out the context of the virus we’re living with, public health is great, wages are very well and you can save a lot.

The worst thing about living in Berlin, Germany is the weather, this month (and in general) it is very cold, everyday is gray and rainy, but we know that is because we’re still in winter. However we always tend to look at the bright side, when it snows we go out to play, to make snowmen, to step on the frozen lakes and more. In Argentina it never snows so it’s something atypical for us.

Our favorite place in Berlin is the Tempelhof, the former airport that today is a giant park, where you can skate, bike, do sports, having a picnic or a barbecue, everything! It’s an excellent spot to take photos!

If you want to know more about the history of the city, I recommend you to make one of these FREE TOURS “Berlin” or “Wall and Cold War of Berlin”.

Recommendations about living in Berlin, Germany

• Would you recommend applying to the Working Holiday Visa? Every day we recommend to people to come and try it, to know that there is a world outside and that there is more to know than our own country and not only is it to discover lands, it is a new discovery every day, it’s a way to know your limits, your patience, your effort and the beautiful reward that is to live every day in the place you dreamed of.
• Do you plan to live in Berlin for a long period? Our idea is to extend the visa as much as possible! Initially we had to come in April but because of the pandemic we came in September, so we hope to extend until September this year (to fulfill the year of the permit granted by the Working) and then from there, see what the next destination will be.

Tips and recommendations to live in Berlin, Germany

• Do you recommend Berlin, Germany to live? Totally! Since we arrived we said: can you imagine Berlin without pandemic, it would be a beautiful experience, summer, beer with friends in the canals, departures, bars, has everything, super recommended for people of our age.
• And for those who wanted to move to Berlin (or Germany in general), what would you advise them?. Leave the shame and come here! Here everyone dresses the way they want, thinks and does what they want without being judged by anyone, it is the city of rebellion and love (and if you like beer and tasty meals, it is the ideal place for you!).

Another advise is to come prepared to do paperwork, here they are very bureaucratic.

Upcoming projects and destinations

Today our goal is to extend the visa and if we can process Italian citizenship, even better. Tomorrow we would like to return to Argentina and move into an apartment just for us. Try to start a project together, create some entrepreneurship and dedicate ourselves to travel, which is what we are most passionate about.

In conclusion, if you are looking to earn in quality of life, a salary that will allow you to save and live in the most multicultural city in Germany, then Berlin is your place.

Interview conducted in January 2021 with @sinpasaporterojo

To see more about life in another German city, click HERE.

If, after reading this experience, you are sure that you will be moving to Berlin soon, I recommend you book your flight on EDREAMS.

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