Comparing Treptow and Kreuzberg

Hi all!

We're planning to move to Berlin in the fall and are already planning where to look for an apartment. I've spent some time in Berlin about 1.5 years ago, I lived in Kreuzberg then and really liked it.

My husband will work in the university neighborhood near Adlershof. The dilemma - to rent in Treptow or in Kberg?

I love Kberg b/c it has it all - green areas, cheap stores, Turkish markets, fun events. I don't know anything about the area where my husband is going to work other than that it's also pretty green.

But I don't know about the convenience aspect of it - I'm a healthy eater, so I need to make sure there are good food stores, we won't have much money, so we need to make sure stuff's cheap, and I'll be a stay at home mom, at least at first, so I need to make sure there's enough stuff nearby and convenient to access. The plus side of renting somewhere near Adlershof, obviously, is that my husband will have a short ride to work.

So can someone please tell me about that area and compare it to Kberg? And what about rents there, after looking at the Berliner Morgen Post I see it's pretty easy to find a 2-room apartment somewhere around 400 euro/month, Warm, in Treptow, and we probably don't want to spend more than that.

Also, how frequent are elevators in buildings? Or is there usually some place downstairs where you can leave a pram? Don't want to have to haul it up and down several flights of stairs every day.

Thanks, all!

Hi questioning,

here's what I think:
* 400 Euro warm a month is a tight budget. You'll be far more likely to find a flat for that amount in Treptow/Adlershof - the closer to Adlershof the cheaper the rents. If you don't mind heating with coal you might look for a flat which still has a OH - Ofenheizung - some of these still exist in Kreuzberg, they are generally about 30% cheaper
* If you have little money you should be entitled to a WBS - Wohnberechtigungsschein, which means that you may rent subsidised flats - it should say "nur mit WBS" or something in the ad. There are quite a few of these in Kreuzberg.
* Lifts aren't too common in most old buildings (Altbau), but most Neubaus should have one. I'd be guessing that since Treptow is former Eastern Berlin, it'd be more likely to find newly renovated building with lifts there.
* If you're looking for a flat in Kreuzberg make sure it's close to the U8 - it will take you to Adlershof in about 30 minutes
* Food shopping and general access to shops etc will definitely be much more convenient in Kreuzberg, especially if you're into health / organic food, though not much cheaper.

Have you thought about looking at Northern Neukölln, eg the area around Hermannplatz? Neukölln doesn't have the best reputation, but the Northern part that is bordering on Kreuzberg is still cheaper and has a similar atmosphere.

Good luck!

hey thanks! i don't think we'd be eligible for WBS because neither of us is german. besides, my husband's work might pay at least part of the rent... i don't think coal heating is a good option for a newborn, my understanding is (correct me if i'm wrong) that it doesn't heat the whole apartment evenly, which is what i'd want.

i think i'm going to pick kreuzberg after all...i just like the vibe there

I have to say from my very direct experience and observations, you are right to pick kreuzberg: the large turkish (organized immigrant) population, says to me the obvious, and much more common not so obvious (flag waving, 'uniform' dressed, etc) nazi fascists have left. I feel, from lack of crucial character development and emotional maturity, and no social group nearby, they have trouble living around large groups of people who are identifiable as different from them and whom do not shirk from it. The following type of people; ethnic and born germans (educated soley by the state system and east culture), who remain in Kreuzberg, are likely to be the most tolerate of 'others': I.E. people fitting outside the german description.

There is a lot of fremdefeindlichkeit and outright Auslander hass everywhere else, and the problem which allows violent acts to continue is the regular average german (at least those in the Brandeburg region), not the goose-stepping morons or teenagers with angst (Eng) to grind. I would like to get feedback from those who do not live in the Berlin area, about how it is in other cities.