Berlin: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city, with about 3.9 million people. It hosts the government and parliament, startup and tech headquarters, research institutes, universities and one of Europe's strongest cultural scenes. The city is young and international: a large share of residents are foreigners, and in IT and startups the working language is often English.

Berlin suits IT specialists, EU Blue Card professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, creatives and students. Families value the kindergartens, parks and free schools. It is harder for those seeking low taxes, fast bureaucracy and easy house-hunting.

Districts

• Mitte - the historic centre, museums, offices and expensive flats.
• Prenzlauer Berg - restored late 19th-century buildings, cafés and playgrounds, a favourite with families.
• Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain - bars, clubs, startups and street art, loud and young.
• Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf - the calm west with wide streets, shops on the Kurfürstendamm and good schools.
• Neukölln - a fast-changing district with the most mixed crowd, rents still below the centre.
• Steglitz, Zehlendorf, Pankow - green outer districts with houses and gardens, convenient for families with a car.

Housing and prices

The average asking rent in 2026 is about 15-16 euros per square metre a month excluding utilities. A 60-square-metre flat costs roughly 900-950 euros, about $1,009-1,065, plus heating and building charges, and more in central districts. The main difficulty is not the price but competition: dozens of candidates turn up for a good flat, and landlords ask for proof of income, a credit report and sometimes a reference from the previous landlord.

A single ticket for zones A and B costs 4 euros, and the nationwide monthly pass costs 63 euros, about $71: it covers all local and regional transport across the country.

Taxes

The first 12,348 euros of income a year are tax-free; the rate then rises from 14% to 42%, and income above 277,826 euros is taxed at 45%. On top come contributions for pension, health, long-term care and unemployment, roughly a fifth of salary up to the ceilings, church tax for church members and the solidarity surcharge on high incomes. More on the page about taxes in Germany.

Practicalities

• Registration. Within two weeks of moving you must register your address, which requires a lease and a confirmation from the landlord. Appointments at district offices are often booked weeks ahead.
• Tax ID arrives by post after registration; without it the employer withholds tax at the highest class.
• Healthcare. Health insurance is mandatory: public for most employees, or private for high earners and entrepreneurs.
• Transport. Metro, city trains, trams and buses run all night at weekends. Brandenburg Airport is 25 kilometres from the centre, served by trains.
• Language. English is enough in IT and startups, but German is needed in government offices, schools and when looking for a flat.
• A bank account is needed from the first weeks: salary and benefits are paid into it and rent is paid from it. Banks usually ask for a passport, residence permit and proof of address registration.

Moving and legal status

European Union citizens register like any other resident. Others move on the EU Blue Card, a work residence permit, a job-seeker visa, study, family reunification, or as freelancers and entrepreneurs. German citizenship is granted after 5 years in the country; since 27 June 2024 the previous passport may be kept, and the fast 3-year route was abolished on 30 October 2025. More on the page about the German work residence permit.

Family and children

Berlin is one of the most family-friendly cities in Germany for young children: public and municipal kindergartens are free, and parents pay only for meals. A kindergarten place is guaranteed by law from the age of one, but in popular districts it has to be found well in advance. Families receive a child benefit of 259 euros a month per child, about $291. State schools are free, and there are bilingual schools and international schools teaching in English.

Work, business and climate

For one's own business the usual choice is a limited liability company with share capital from 25,000 euros, or its simplified form with capital from 1 euro. Freelancers register with the tax office as self-employed and pay tax on the general scale. The climate is temperate: around zero and overcast in winter, about 19-20 degrees in July, when the city lives outdoors, by the lakes and in the parks.

Is Berlin worth considering for life

Pros: an international environment, a strong IT and startup market, culture and nightlife, parks and lakes, free education and dual citizenship after 5 years. Cons: a housing shortage and competition for flats, slow bureaucracy, high taxes and contributions, grey winters. Berlin is one of the best European Union options for a professional with a contract or an entrepreneur ready for German rules. Write in the chat and we will find a basis for your residence permit.