How expensive is Munich?

Hi Everyone,
I know this question has been asked quite a few times and I did get an idea on how Munich is like. But in the IT Industry, I did not exactly get a clear picture on 'how much' is comfortable. Well, I am going to be in Munich soon working for GE-ERC. Salary would be around 50K Euros pa. I am single. Where and how should I go about looking for a place to live? I still dont have any info on whether the company is goin to pay my rent, etc. but I am guessing it wouldn't. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

50k is reasonable.. If you want a decent size apt., then don't expect
to stay in Munich. Look towards the out lying areas. You can still get
to the sity center via the train/subway/bus.

EUR 50 K pa is not the highest salary in Munich but clearly above the average and even after tax will enable a comftable lifestyle.

2 points I think are key to making that money go further:

A. Look for a cheapish place to live that is close to an UNDERGROUND (U-bahn) station so you don't spend on taxis and have flexibility in where you go. There are still some bargains for flats, even quite central. Don't let yourself get sweettalked. Depends on what size you expect too, remember space is expensive. My personal rule of thumb is that living outside the "Mittlerer Ring" is a kiss of social death.

B. Choose where you spend your money! Yes, there are "nice" clothes in shop X and you can get "original imported muffin batter" in shop Y and can never meet a German speaker in Pub Z. But watch your money evaporate!

Have fun in Munich!

I dread to think of what that makes Garching...

50K is well enough to have a fun time here. I get a fair chunk less than half that, but I don't have to pay tax. I get by quite comfortably in a reasonably sized studio apartment, a fair way out of town.

I have friends who live outside the Mittlerer Ring who are paying just the same amount for similar sized places.

Once you're here, everything seems pretty cheap if you are used to UK prices.

Ben

I live 'outside the Mittlerer ring' and have a very busy social life - however, my social life isn't going to Gunther Murphy's every night of the week - it's bit more...shall we say...civilized than that.

I live outside the Mitteler ring too and its fine, especially if you are near the U Bahn.

50K, so thats 4K a month - I guess 2.3K after tax? Should be ok if not luxurious - depends entirely on what sort of flat/house you find/Want

but probably not compared to Indian prices

It also depends what you compare, after almost of 4 years here, I actually find some things are cheaper in Britain. But then again in Britain you pay for the fact you can actually shop. Unlike Germany, where Saturday's is always a mad rush to ensure you have enough stuff in for Sunday !

Errrm I was slightly joking about the Mittlerer Ring!

Key is though to living near an underground station but don't fel you HAVE to live far out to get a cheap-ish place or that you NEED a 100 M² flat and therefore need to look further out.

BTW
I have been to GMs 4 times in 12 years!
I find the shopping hours here fine, open till 8pm, six days a week.
The only things that are dearer in Munich than Britain I've noticed are stamps and TV Licence.

After living in L.A. and now being back I consider Munich as cheap. You should be doing well with 50K a year.

Really hahnsen? Why do you thinK? L.A.'s my home town, and I find it quite a bit cheaper than here. Especially apartments. Has it gotten worse?

oh how i wish i earned 50k a year! whiners.

but then again, the more money you have, the more you spend. i don't need to be a yuppie, so i hoard my cash and substitute it with cheap thrills or i need to save a long time for more expensive ones (like 5 weeks in south american or a new mountain bike).

if your ideal in life is a 2 bedroom place with balcony and view, within walking distance to all the coolest pubs, then no 50k might not be enough to support an extravagant lifestyle, but what do yuo do in your apt?

but yes, look for a place on the u-bahn line. a 10-min walk to the nearest underground is doable.

Anyway, the more you earn, the more the tax man takes.

I live way outside the Mittlerer Ring, almost in the country in fact, but can be in the town (by SBahn) within 20 minutes. Here I can enjoy cheaper housing, fresher air, cycle rides across the fields, cheaper local bars and restaurants, and still be in Marienplatz, the cinema, a theatre or sports stadium (or even Günthers, God help me) within half an hour by both car and public transport...

YL6

Here are really some whiners...

I earn that much with my husband (together). We have a small 3 year old boy. Have to pay for day care and a 3-room suite and live a very nice life (going on summer vacation for 3 weeks, going on our winter vacation, once a month going to some places in germany, we buy clothes, our fridge is always full and our storage room in the suite overfilled). So I don´t see why would he as a single person need more money than we. You will be earning net 2268,00 € a month (assuming you pay no church tax and you take BKK Mobile Oil Insurance which 13,6 %)

Ahhh.. Married, you are on a different tax bracket altogether ! So tax man takes far less.

being two people rather than one you will get much more net salary. It's that that you have to look at.

How did it go with those debt collectors by the way natasa? did it work out ok?

Still 50K Euro for a single person when net is above the average and has WAY more spending power than in the UK.

Poor? ... I live in shoe box...

Quite a lot - its pretty important

Actually I am on the same tax bracket as a single person. Being in the tax group 4 and 4 they take exactly same as with tax group 1. The only good thing is that we can claim a little bit more at the end of the year and that is it.

The debt collectors don´t bother me anymore (but moved and have a "Geheimtelefonnummer" has helpt with that for sure. Honestly I don´t even care anymore.

but presumably your husband is also in a single tax bracket. So you and him earning 25K each will give you more net income than one person earning 50K. I think.

good to hear things are sorted nat

Thanks everyone for the replies. Sorry if I sounded like a whiner, but it was just a harmless question I put forward. I've never been in Germany nor the UK. So I didnt have an idea on how expensive was Munich...so the question. Now I know!
And do you guys suggest I take up any German classes or something like that? Would that make life easier, in the sense, communicating with people at work and outside?

hell yeah. learn as much german as you can. then you can understnad when they talk about you. the one thing that chides the germans the most are those who come to live here without trying to learn one peeps of german. ok, it's mostly related to the eastern europeans, however...

there are those on TT who have been here 3+ years and only know enough to order a beer. i couldn't survive like that.

... and some of them can only do it after three beers ordered by someone else

YL6

Average income (pre tax) in Germany, 1891-2004:

http://www.bfa.de/ger/ger_zahlenfakten.8/g...itsentgelt.html

The income of the average German employee is currently 29,428.00 EUR/month. You should be able to survive on 50 grand.
Talk to a tax advisor as soon as you arrive. You can deduct shitloads of money from your taxes in the first year.