Relocation to Bonn

Hi,
I was thrilled to bump into this website and more than happy to read so much of info. on germany!
My husband has been offered a job in Bonn. His gross 13 month salary is 50,000euros. We are a family of 3 adults and a daughter -11 years old.
I need information on the following to make a decision for the relocation:
1. Good schools in and around Bonn.Open to alternate education also.
2. Cost of living in Bonn as we have a decent life style in India living in a 2500 sqft mansion with car etc.,
3. Are there any Indian expats in Bonn?
4.What is the best way to negotiate the salary and what benefits can we ask for from the employer?

Thanks

Hi,

Welcome to Germany.

2500 what???

To know the answer to this specific question you should contact other Indian forums. As a matter of fact, there are many Indians in Bonn.

Please do a detailed search in TT. This topic has already been discussed in length and breadth.

You are asking about negotiations and mentioning the salary offer too. Has your husband already accepted to that amount? I think 50 grand for a family of 4, am afraid will not allow you to have a lavish life. Decent life style? Depends upon your way of life. Too much clubbing, vacation, then difficult.

Edit: And for geography, Bonn is in North Rhein-Westphalia (NRW) and not in Rheinland-Pfalz or Saarland. Topic posted under the wrong thread.

I would assume that your husband is the only one allowed to work and you will be coming on the Dependant visa.

with 50 K p. A. you are not going to have the lifestyle you had in Bangalore. There you would be counted to the upper middle class category and here you will be just battling to meet the expenses for 3 adults and a child with just one persons Income.

That was all the bad news I had to give. Now to the good news.

He will have the best Tax-class and hence will be able to get out most as take-home.
There are a lot of Indian expats living in NRW (Bonn-Köln) area.
I do not know about rents in that area, but expect it to be at least 900-1000 euros, that is sufficient for a family of 4.

EDIT: I have moved it to the correct section.

The cost of living in Bonn is relatively high comapared to other cities. My advice, dont get a house in Tannenbusch. With all what you can take home after taxes from a 50k salary, it will still be difficult to maintain the family. Thats the fact. Schooling, house rent, (Health insurance will be taken care from your husbands salary) will take the lions share. Moreover, if you are planning on having a car, then that will end up very costly. His drivers licence, tax, car insurance at 240%. Forget it.

Check if the potential employer will cover international schooling for your kid. Otherwise it will cost up to 1000 euro per month.

So, lets do the math.

Rent - 500 to 600 yoyos, say for a 60 sq.m apartment.
Heating/Electricity/Water/wastage removal - Another 120€
I have no idea about schooling. As Minga suggested above, private schooling another 1000 €

We have not taken in account setting up the house, Buying loads of winter clothing, etc etc...

Even then, making ends meet will be difficult.

I don't think three adults and a child are going to be too comfortable in a 60 qm apartment. The place they currently live in is 232 qm or thereabouts, so I'd say they would need at least 100 qm.

And when they say a 2 room apartment then beware, Its actually one room plus a living room.

yes, they are living in a house with 2500 sq.ft. that translates to roughly 200 qm. Even if you downsize, at least 120-130 qm is required for 4 people.

Ahhh conqui, you beat me with your edit. I had to find out how much is 2500 sqft, in qm.

And by the way, you will have to do all the fixing and cleaning.

Yes you are right, squeezing in 60sqm apartment is too close for comfort EVEN DURING PEAK WINTER!

So you are not going to come to Germany or what?

If there is possible negotiation on extras, then look for all removal expenses, relocation advice, cost of finding a house (most letting agents charge 2 months rent just for setting you up with a rental contract), rent allowance based on the size of house you are living in at the moment (german rents are usually based on location and square meters and you want to be near a good school), cost of school fees and cost of language lessons for the whole family. If these are not going to be part of the package then look carefully at how far the salary offered would go.

To get a better idea of rents look here at some examples in Bonn.

http://www.immobilienscout24.de/findNew.national/resultDialog.go?iac=1&style=is24&is24EC=IS24&event%3AdoSubmit=Suchen&criteriasGroup.nrRoomsControl.min=&criteriasGroup.nrRoomsControl.max=&criteriasGroup.netAreaControl.min=80%2C00&criteriasGroup.netAreaControl.max=300%2C00&criteriasGroup.netRentControl.min=&criteriasGroup.netRentControl.max=&refinementCriteriasGroup.yearOfConstructionControl.min=&refinementCriteriasGroup.yearOfConstructionControl.max=&crc=1276010005001&_s_peprm=simbaFormis24%3Aisieccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

May be or may be not.... can anyone let me know on the average monthly expenses on the Indian vegetarian groceries...