The blog
Germany, from the inside.
Paperwork, daily life, neighbourhoods, budget, culture: everything we wish we had known before unpacking.
Taxes in Germany for new residents: rates, tax classes and your return
Taxes in Germany for new residents: when you become tax resident, the 2026 rates, tax classes I to VI, the annual return on ELSTER and treaty rules.
7 min readPaperworkSteuer-ID: how to get your German tax ID number
Steuer-ID in Germany: it arrives by post after your Anmeldung, lasts for life, and differs from the Steuernummer. What to do if it does not arrive.
5 min readFamily and workSchools in Germany for expat children: Kita, Grundschule and options
Schools in Germany: school is compulsory from about age six, state schools are free and the Länder decide the rest. Kita rights, French schools.
6 min readBudgetRundfunkbeitrag: the German TV licence and other household charges
Rundfunkbeitrag is €18.36 a month per home in 2026, owed even without a TV. How to register, who is exempt, and the other local charges you meet.
5 min readBudgetRetire in Germany: pensions, S1 health cover and tax
Retire in Germany from the EU: get an S1 for health care, register at the Anmeldung, know how foreign pensions are taxed and what the treaties decide.
7 min readPaperworkResidence in Germany for EU citizens: do you need a permit?
Residence in Germany for EU citizens: no visa or permit, three months on an ID card, then work, job search or means plus insurance. Plus Swiss rules.
6 min readWhere to liveRenting in Germany: Kaution, Schufa and the rent brake
Renting in Germany: deposit capped at three months' rent, agent fees, the rent brake, notice periods and what to check in your lease and service charges.
6 min readPaperworkOpening a bank account in Germany: Basiskonto, Schufa and your IBAN
Bank account in Germany: bring ID and your Meldebescheinigung, ask for a Basiskonto if refused, keep your euro IBAN and check your Schufa.
6 min readPaperworkMoving to Germany: the step-by-step guide to your first weeks
Moving to Germany from the EU: the right order for housing, Anmeldung, tax ID, bank, health insurance and work, with the deadlines that matter.
6 min readPaperworkMoving to Germany from the UK after Brexit: what you need now
Moving to Germany from the UK after Brexit: residence title within 90 days, Withdrawal Agreement rights, health cover, driving licence and tax.
6 min readHealthHealth insurance in Germany for expats: public or private?
Health insurance in Germany is compulsory: how statutory cover works, 2026 contribution rates, family insurance, the S1 form and when private applies.
6 min readFamily and workFreelance in Germany: Freiberufler, Gewerbe and insurance
Freelance in Germany: Freiberufler or Gewerbe, register with the tax office within a month, small-business VAT, GmbH or UG, health and pension insurance.
7 min readPaperworkDriving in Germany: licence exchange and registering your car
Driving licence in Germany: EU licences stay valid, UK and Swiss ones must be exchanged within six months. Plus how to register a foreign car.
6 min readDaily lifeDaily life in Germany: Sundays, recycling, language and manners
Daily life in Germany: closed shops on Sundays, quiet hours, bottle deposits, waste sorting, holidays by Land, emergency numbers and workplace manners.
6 min readBudgetCost of living in Germany: what official figures say
Cost of living in Germany: what Destatis says households spend, plus the fixed costs you will meet: health insurance, deposit, TV licence and car tax.
6 min readBudgetChurch tax in Germany (Kirchensteuer): who pays and how to leave
Church tax in Germany is 8% or 9% of your income tax if you belong to a church that levies it. How it starts at registration, and how to stop it.
6 min readWhere to liveBuying property in Germany: notary, taxes and costs
Buying property in Germany: the notary signs the deal, transfer tax is set by each Land (6% in Berlin), plus register and agent fees. Steps, costs, traps.
6 min readWhere to liveBest places to live in Germany for expats: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt
Best places to live in Germany for expats: how Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt differ on rent rules, taxes, schools and shops, and how to choose.
6 min readPaperworkAnmeldung in Germany: how to register your address
Anmeldung in Germany: register within two weeks of moving in, bring the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung, get your Meldebescheinigung and avoid the fine.
7 min readYour move, one step at a time.
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