Hi,
I am sitting on an offer for a job in Bonn.
I am supposed to negotiate the salary but I have no idea of the local cost of life.
Can you help me understanding what "brutto" salary would be sufficient to:
rent a nice flat in a nice area of town (say 100 m^2),
regularly use a car, have a good quality of life (a few evenings out per week, summer holidays, etc.).
I'm 39, single with a pretty active lifestyle (like to practice sports, go to concerts, and so on).

Any additional information regarding the city and expat life will be highly appreciated.

Thanks!
Chris

For 100qm you could expect to pay between €600-800 pm Kalt.

It entirely depends on where you stay in Bonn. Consider yourself lucky if you can find a 55 SQM apartment for 600 € anywhere in the city center, Beuel, Ramersdorf, Limperich. For a 100 SQM apartment, you might have to consider moving a bit away from Bonn Center and Beuel / Landgrabenweg like Endenich, Freisdorf, Pützchen, Holzlar.

I really can't comment anything on your brutto. People with similar lifestyles as yours might be in a good position to write on this topic. Using the search box is also a good idea.

Cheers,
Bandu.

http://www.immobilienscout24.de/de/finden/...84B53A8.worker2

should give you an idea of what your housing options are.

It may be simpler to work out what you would need netto and then ask your prospective employer how that translates to a brutto figure. Also ask for clarification whether the monthly salary would be paid 12 or 13 times a year.

Thanks a lot for your help!
Could you then please indicate a "netto" salary that would be appropriate?
Would 3000 EUR (netto) be enough? (I know that Switzerland is way more expensive than Germany but in Zurich this is the salary of a grad student!)
Also, how much does health insurance cost? Is it normally provided by the company or not?

Chris

Have a search around this board for health insurance, tax, church tax, pensions etc. to get an idea of the deductions that will come out of your brutto salary.

This thread may be of interest

Is €3,000 per month gross a reasonable salary?

I think it's fair to assume things like groceries are cheaper here but as I've never lived in Zurich I can't tell you how much the difference is.

Thanks Rebecca but could you also give me a rough number?
I will work on the details myself but it would be helpful if you could estimate a threshold above which you would say a salary is "good".

The search function may help you more than I can

http://www.toytowngermany.com/search/?q=salary+expectations

and if that doesn't answer your question try starting a new thread in the Finance section of the board.

PS There are very few areas of Bonn that are really not nice. Most of the affordable ones are connected to good public transport.

Hi,

I know that this has been somehow discussed before, but I would like an updated opinion.

I have been offered a job at Bonn, which will provide me with an income of around 2,000 Euros, after deductions. I am trying to figure out if this is a good offer. I looked at the web for some aprtments and saw that I could have a reasonable one or two bedrooms apartment with around E800 (I am single). Are there any other 'hidden costs' that I have not calculated? For instance is there a council or other taxes? For example, I read that I need to pay around E22/month (compulsary) for TV / radio tax.

Any advice will be helpful - I do not speak much German so their websites are not very accesible for me.

Thanks
George

Topics merged by admin

The local taxes, cost of having your wheelie bins emptied etc. will all be included in your Nebenkosten which you pay the landlord in addition to the rent every month. At the end of the year the landlord should add up all these costs and work out if you have been paying the right amount so you could get a surprise bill for this. Some landlords choose to keep quiet if you have been paying too much (you are entitled to ask) but none keep quiet if you have been paying too little. If the Nebenkosten on an apartment seems very low it may be that the landlord is deliberately underestimating to make the property more attractive.

Also, when you register you will answer a question about religion. If you say you have none you won't have to pay church tax.