Is Munich Expensive to Live?
Are you to shift your base to Munich or you are planning on doing so in the near future? To the strong surprise of many querents, when they are considering a move to a new city they ask- is it costly to reside in this city? Munich is a state capital and largest city of Bavaria, Germany and it describes prosperity with high standards of living. This blog post will give you a glimpse on how much it costs to live in Munich, to guide you in making the right choice, if you plan to move there.
Cost of Housing
Munich is considered to be one of the European cities where the rent for accommodation is high. Accommodation expenses of living in the city are amongst the highest in Germany and way much higher than in the comparable cities like Berlin or Hamburg. Housing rents depend on the area, size as well as additional services and facilities provided. For instance, dwelling in closer proximity to the city center or the near neighborhoods such as Schwabing, Maxvorstadt or Glockenbakviertel are relatively costlier than in the outskirts.
In the situation of the one-bedroom apartment situated in the city center it normally costs between € 1500 and €2500 per month. If one seeks a similar apartment that is located further from the city center, then he will pay between €1,200 — €2,000. Please note that these prices are just estimates only and can change based on to some factors.
As was previously mentioned if you want to cut on your cost of living, consider getting an apartment which you will be sharing or move to outskirts of the city and commute to Munich. Some of the people take this option with an aim of possessing a house that is within their price range as well as the convenience of having the house within the city.
Transportation
Munich has flexible means of transport which makes it easy for one to move around the city. It consists of buses, trams, the underground u3/U6 as well as the suburban s-train s2. Surprisingly, the fares of the public transport system in Munich are comparatively low as compared to other European cities.
Some advices for the travelers is that the whole city is covered in the Berlin transportation system, for the regular traveler there is an option of using a monthly pass known as IsarCard with unlimited use. Some features of the IsarCard are that it offers free use of all modes of transport within specific region.
If you like cycling, you will also enjoy cycling in Munich especially there is well-developed network of cycle tracks. Such an arrangement can be useful as it can help in cutting expenses incurred on transport and at the same time the rider is able to exercise when cycling to work or other places within the city.
Groceries and Eating Out
In the case of groceries, people in Munich are quite privileged as they have a lot of options to select from. Essentials and other basic products are available in other supermarkets such as Edeka, Rewe, and Aldi shops. There are also farmer’s markets which occur every week where one could buy fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, and other specialties.
Concerning food consumption, the food sector in Munich is well-developed and provides great offers for various price ranges. Everything from local Bavarian food to world-class dining is available for the visitor to partake in. But of course, in places like Starbucks there are expensive items but at the same time there are cheap meals from food vendors, hawkers and cheap restaurants.
Leisure and Entertainment
Tourists who visit Munich can engage in different cultural and Recreational activities as the place is blessed with such endowment. There are many parks, historical buildings and places, museums, theatres in the city. Some of these are open for a discounted or even free entry at certain days or during certain periods of the day, enabling you to discover the social life of Munich in a cheaper way.
Arguably, any shopper will find Munich to offer an array of opportunity with respect to luxury brands, commons malls and street boutiques. The cost of shopping in Munich will all depend on the stores that are shopped and the type of the shopper.
Healthcare
The Germans are fortunate to have an effective and innovative healthcare delivery system, one of the best in the world as per global reports. Thus, medical facilities in Munich are quite good, however, having a private health insurance is advisable to cover all eventualities. It is also important to note that overall health care costs in Germany are higher than on the other countries thus, the costs of living should include this factor.
Conclusion
It thus cannot be disputed that Munich is one of those cities with relatively high quality of life. However, one must not close his eyes on the aspect of affordability, that part being the prices, more so housing costs. One is advised to probably mind and set some cash in order to have comfortable stay and enjoy the life in this active city.
Thus, it can be stated that Munich can be regarded either as an expensive city or not depending on certain factors and personal tendencies. Hence, as discussed above, one can be in a position to determine whether the traveling will be financially appropriate for him or her to afford the expenses incurred in Munich or not.
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