Why You Should Move to Berlin for Your Working Holiday
There is no doubt that Working Holiday Visas are fabulous things! The visa allows you to live in Germany for up to 1 year without requiring you to have a sponsored job lined up before your arrival. It is a fantastic way to travel and experience a completely new culture while earning money to support your time overseas.
But, while we can all agree that Working Holiday Visas are fabulous things, choosing where to do your Working Holiday is hotly debated! With certain countries enjoying reciprocal working holiday agreements with 20–40 countries, it can be very tricky to choose exactly where to go. In this post, we will highlight some of the reasons why we think Berlin is the dream destination for a Working Holiday.
As a city, Berlin is a knockout
Berlin is hands down one of the world’s cultural epicentres. The city is teeming with activity, with bars, restaurants, exhibitions, shows, gigs and performances at almost every turn. Long renowned as a city for artists, musicians and creatives, Berlin really does offer something for everyone with an eclectic and diverse population spread across its famous districts.
And this is all before we even get to the nightlife! Home to world-famous clubs including Berghain, Tresor, Kater Blau, About Blank and Sisyphos (to name a few), the nightlife sets the city apart with 50,000+ weekly revellers enjoying all the night has to offer!
“The nightlife sounds fun, but I am more of a morning person”. If this is you, you are not to worry! Berlin boasts over 2500 public parks, offering unparalleled opportunities for recreation and leisure. Whether cycling around Tempelhof airfield, ambling through Tiergarten or BBQing in Treptow Park, Berlin’s green spaces never fail to deliver.
With a historically young demographic, the German capital has a vibrant energy that lays a great foundation for an exciting working holiday.
Living in Berlin sounds great, but can I afford it?
While prices have been on the rise in the past few years, Berlin is still considerably more affordable than other popular working holiday destinations including London, Paris and Amsterdam.
A 1-bedroom flat in a decent part of Berlin is likely to set you back around €1000 per month while a room in a flatshare can be snapped up for around €500. Comparatively, this is a fraction of what you would expect to pay for central locations in many other European capitals.
On top of rent, day-to-day living is also relatively cheap in Berlin. An unlimited monthly transport card costs just €91, a 500 ml beer in a bar costs approximately €4 while a meal and drink out tends to be around €12. Berlin’s world-famous kebabs can cost as little as €3, not a bad price for dinner!
While a pint in London will now set you back an eye-watering £6 (€6.78) and a room in a flatshare will cost you £952 (€1076) on average, Berlin is a clear winner when looking at the cost of living in the two cities.
Yeh, yeh, I get it is cheaper, but can I get an English-speaking job in Berlin?
The job market for non-German speakers is rapidly growing across the German capital. It is estimated that 52% of employees at Berlin’s start-ups are non-German speakers. When combined with the fact that a new start-up is founded every 20 minutes in the German capital, this should give you an indication of the rate of change in Berlin’s English-speaking job market.
You will find a wide range of English-speaking job opportunities in customer service, sales and business development, recruitment, hospitality, childcare and teaching, tech and IT, and marketing and account management.
For further advice on English-speaking jobs in Berlin, check out our free resources:
All sounds good so far, but what about the German bureaucracy?
A fear of many an expat arriving in Berlin, German bureaucracy is often a real deterrent when people are considering where to do their working holiday. While it can seem intimidating, our free relocation resources can help guide you through the relocation process.
As part of our free resources, we provide information and advice for all the major administrative steps to relocating to Berlin, from registering at an address (Anmeldung), taking out the correct insurances, setting up a bank account, and much much more.
And if you are worried about where you are going to live, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio apartments in Berlin and are the perfect base for a smooth and hassle-free start to life in Germany.
Do not get put off by a few stories, the process for relocating to Germany need not be difficult if you know when, where and how to complete the different steps.
The Working Holiday Visa for Germany is valid for 1 year. Does this mean I will have to leave once it expires?
While the Working Holiday Visa allows you to live in Germany for up to 1 year (2 years for Canadians), the majority of our participants then transition on to a different German visa which allows them to continue living in Germany on a longer-term basis. Some popular options include:
So, there you have it! A quick rundown of why we think Berlin is a perfect destination for your Working Holiday. For further information and tips on moving to Berlin, check out the free resources and guides on our homepage.