Studying engineering in Germany is a very prestigious concept. When you graduate, your chances of finding a job are very high. Mechanical engineering and automotive engineering are among the most popular engineering. A very popular country for those who want to study or work abroad, Germany also has one major advantage. Although it is expensive compared to countries such as India, or Poland, studying in Germany is more affordable next to countries such as England, Ireland, or Switzerland. So if you’re interested in pursuing engineering in Germany, let’s talk a little bit about Germany’s expenses for students.
Engineering In Germany: What To Expect Financially If You’re A Student
2 Things Non-German Students Find Tough In Germany:
Language:
One of the most important factors of studying engineering in Germany involves learning the German language. Since public universities provide education in Germany at the undergraduate level, you must know German. If your German level is not sufficient; there are preparatory schools where you can improve your German and prepare for the TestDaf exam.
Student expenses:
But it should not be forgotten that there is another important hurdle to overcome in Germany: student expenses.
For example, there is a price difference between cities in Germany such as Munich, Berlin, and Stuttgart which are the cities with the highest cost of living. If we need to examine it in more detail, we can compare the rental costs in three different cities. While the cost of renting a house for 1 person in Stuttgart and Berlin is around 700-800 Euros, this price may be around 500 Euros in Bremen. In Germany, undergraduate and graduate education can be evaluated free of charge, except for the education contribution. The education contribution fee is a remuneration system that is paid every semester so that students continue their education and the fee can vary between 100 and 300 Euros.
In general, when food, accommodation, bills, clothing and entertainment costs are taken into account, Germany has an average position among European Union countries. Calculated on average, the cost of food and beverage can be at least €200, extra costs such as internet and TV are €220, and student housing rent can vary between €300 and €700 per month.
Germany currently ranks fifth among EU countries with an hourly wage of 9.35 euros. While the minimum wage in Germany is 1,584.00 Euros according to 2022 data; The average monthly salary in Germany is around 4,021 euros.
Engineering In Germany: How To Go About Living Costs In Germany
Housing Costs in Germany
As we have previously discussed, housing costs in Germany may vary from region to region for engineering students.
While the average rent for a single room in the city center or in big cities such as Munich and Stuttgart can vary between 700-900 Euros, this price is between 500-650 Euros in areas outside the city center.
Despite the fact that Berlin is a big city, it is seen that the rents of houses in Frankfurt and Hamburg are higher in recent years. For example, the average monthly rents are 795 € in Berlin, 868 € in Frankfurt, 838 € in Hamburg, 1,094 € in Munich, 560 € in Bremen and 533 € in Dresden.
Engineering students who are interested in sharing a larger house, for example, a 3-bedroom flat with their friends or with roommates can pay around 1,600 in the city center; If it is far from the city center, it may cost 1,2000 Euros.
House Prices in Germany
Over the last 10 years, house prices in Berlin, the capital of Germany, have increased by 148% and 110% in Munich, and house prices have doubled in Frankfurt, the financial center of the country. In Germany, according to data from the Federal Statistical Office, the average household spends an average of 2,507 Euros per month. An average of 923 Euros of these expenditures goes to housing, energy, and maintenance.
It is said that the average house prices in Germany are 500.000 Euros, this price varies according to the region, city, and house you live in.
For example, according to a 2022 statistic in Berlin, house prices for sale were around 500.000 € to 1.500.000 € according to the standards of detached houses from flats.
In Stuttgart, one of the most expensive cities in Germany, house prices can vary between 1.500.000 € to 4.500.000 €. On the other hand, in cheaper cities such as Cologne, houses can be found with prices starting from 200.000 €.
Dormitory Fees in Germany
For individuals who want to stay in a university-associated dormitory, the situation varies depending on whether it is a private or a state dormitory, and at the same time, it is a big city or a small city.
While state dormitories in Germany average around 250-350 Euros per month, private dormitories can cost 400-500 Euros because they are more comfortable and modern. In big cities, private dormitory rents or room rents for those who prefer can start from 500 Euros and go up to 700 Euros.
Transportation Costs in Germany
Cost of driving a personal car
Germany happens to be one of the most important vehicle manufacturers in the world, but it is shocking to know that owning a car has become a choice rather than a necessity because public transport is so amazing!
If you own a personal vehicle in Germany, it is obligatory to have traffic insurance called “Autoversicherung”. According to current prices, the cost of traffic insurance in Germany is 214 Euros. Car prices can vary between 13,500 Euros and 32,000 Euros for frequently preferred car models (such as Honda, Peugeot, Opel, Ford, Seat, and Volkswagen).
For example, Renault Clio 2022 model costs 13,500 €, Opel Astra 2022 model costs 21,700 €, Volkswagen Passat 2022 model costs 32,000 €. Car prices in the D segment, which is one of the most preferred car groups in Germany, are determined as 34,200 € for the Audi A4 2022 model, 35,500 € for the Mercedes C Series 2022 model, and 36,500 € for the BMW 3 Series 2022 model.
Public Transport
You do not need a personal vehicle to travel in Germany thanks to incredibly world-famous public transport! You can easily reach the city from even the most remote places in Germany. Engineering students only need to buy a ticket to use the bus, metro, or tram called “Straßenbahnen”.
As long as you have cash in your pocket, you can pay on many buses. There are different types of tickets, such as daily one-way, two-way, or monthly. A one-way ticket for city transportation costs around €2.50.
Today, the German government has introduced a system that covers monthly bus, tram, and train use, with a fee of 49 €, as it aims to encourage the use of public transport in the face of rising oil prices. In this system, which is set at € 49 per month, tickets include 2nd class travel on city buses, trams, metros, regional train lines, and regional express trains. The best part is that this system will be available to everyone in Germany, not just for German citizens but even to foreigners coming as engineering students.
An important caveat is the presence of ticket inspectors on public transport. Since these inspectors can check tickets at any time, you will be penalized if you are without a ticket. In addition to these, the normal tariff for one hour for taxi journeys in Germany is about 30 €.
Food Costs in Germany
Although food costs vary from region to region and city to city in Germany, it is possible to say that food costs are generally affordable. In order to have information about food costs in Germany, we can take a look at the price of foods consumed daily.
Here are the average grocery shopping prices in Germany:
- A loaf of bread average 1.81€
- A dozen eggs 2.65€
- 1 kilo of tomatoes 1.29€
- 1 liter of milk 1.04€
- 1 kilo of local cheese 12.74€
- 1 kilogram of apples 2.63€
- 1.5 liters of water 0.57€
- 0.5 liters of local beer is calculated as 0.66€.
In addition to grocery shopping costs let us also look at restaurant prices in Germany:
- The cost of a meal for one person in a cheap restaurant is 12.83€
- Meal for two in a good restaurant 55.05€
- A McDonald’s menu 8.65€
- Coffee with milk in a cafe 3.16€
- A can (0.33l) Coca-Cola 2.74€
- A bottle of water (0.33l) is calculated as 2.38€ on average.
Hospital and Medicine Fees in Germany
Including both state (govt) and private, there are more than 100 different types of health insurance in Germany. Having health insurance in Germany has become a necessity as of 2009 and even if you are in Germany as a visitor for a short time, you still need health insurance. Foreign health insurance can be accepted by those countries that have a social security agreement with Germany.
Now that we know the importance of health insurance in Germany, let’s discuss the general cost.
- Although insurance covers many health costs, the health sector in Germany has become more expensive due to the increasing population recently.
- Even though the country is economically prosperous, it is the fourth most expensive country in the world to provide health services today.
- When we look at drug prices, most of the drugs taken against ailments such as pain, cold and muscle aches, especially aspirin, do not have a fixed price. For example, one pharmacy may sell a certain painkiller for 4 Euros, while another pharmacy may sell it for 6 Euros. On the other hand, the costs of prescription drugs are fixed in each pharmacy.
- Lastly, medicines must be purchased in person from a pharmacy. According to 2022 data, the hospitalization fee is 10 Euros per day, and an average of 5 to 10 Euros is spent on medications.
Social Life Cost in Germany
For students:
For young students who are interested in learning engineering in Germany, this country is one of the leading social life and entertainment destinations, especially in Berlin. Germany has become especially great at helping you wind down after a hectic study week making it the number one place for students from all over the world to prefer Germany for their university and language school programs.
Calculated on average, eating out 1-2 times is about 60 EU, and going out to have fun once or twice at night is calculated as 60 EU. Considering that these activities are mostly repetitive, the cost of eating out or going out at night in Germany can vary between 60 and 300 EU.
For couples:
Considering that Germans are a nation that often spends their free time on entertainment and hobbies, it is important to take into account the costs of social life and entertainment.
Young couples in Germany mostly spend about 356 Euros per month on personal expenses, 325 Euros on transportation, and 239 Euros on entertainment. An average of 2,500-3,000 Euros will be sufficient for basic living in Germany’s big cities.
Even if the living costs vary according to your living standards and the city, a couple should have a minimum income of 5,000 Euros for those who want a middle or upper-class life (with entertainment and shopping opportunities besides accommodation, transportation, and food and beverage).
For social life expenses, an average tennis club membership is 40 Euros per month, while gym fees can start from 20 EUR and go up to 100 EUR per month.
Entertainment and nightlife:
Museum tours, which are one of the cultural activities that can be done in Germany, can be free at certain times of the week. The entrance fee to Museum Island, which is one of the important stops in Berlin, is 18 Euros. At the same time, it is possible to get a valid 3-day museum card called the “Berlin Museum Pass” and visit the museums at no extra cost. The Berlin Museum Pass fee has been updated to 29 Euros for adults and 14.5 Euros for students.
Germany’s nightlife is just as vibrant and hosts world-famous bars and nightclubs. Although Berlin is the capital city, it is a city that can be considered cheap in terms of nightlife. There is no entrance fee in most nightclubs and even if it is, it usually varies between 10-15 Euros.
Berghain, Watergate, and Kit Kat Club are some of the famous nightclubs in Germany and all over the world. The fact that the metro and trams operate 24 hours at the weekend becomes a good reason to keep the nightlife alive. Alcohol prices, on the other hand, are cheaper than in many countries. For example, the price of 70 cl Vodka is 10.50 €, the price of a case of 20 bottles of beer is 12.90 €, and the price of 70 cl tequila is about 14.50 €.
Germany has the most visited theme parks in Europe and some of them are Europa-Park, Heide Park, and Phantasialand. The fees of the theme parks vary between 20 € and 40 €, and children under the age of 12 receive a discount.