I keep getting emails from students or people who are about to come to Germany. Most of them ask me about the weather, food, clothing, sometimes availability of parlors, types of restaurants, safety and the like. The most common query, which is also one of my personal favorites, is what things are expensive in Germany. Today, as I was on a walk with my family, I looked around the city and thought about things that shocked me when I came to Germany and I realized how expensive these things are. so here’s the list:

1. Stationary items
2. Electronics
3. Hotels (Guesthouses)
4. Public transportation
5. Medicines

I was mind blown when I came to Germany in 2013 and I wanted to buy a notebook (known as Block) here, and a regular Block was 2€. In Indian currency (INR) it was 160 rs. In this much amount I would buy easily 5-6 notebooks and some pens along with it. Pens, the next damn thing, costs also a fortune here. A normal pen in Germany is like 2-3€.

I was in a dilemma that electronics in Germany would be really – comparatively cheaper than in India. Thanks to Saturn, MediaMarkt and other places like these to burst my bubble. Electronics are nothing but cheap here. So if you are thinking you will come here and buy a laptop and a nice phone and have to pay less than in India, forget about it.

Hotels blew my mind, honestly. I cannot be more honest and literal about this. A regular, basic, simple room costs here 85-90€ a night. This is almost 7500Rs. In this money you can literally stay in a 3 star hotel in India. That too I am talking about a tiny town in Germany. If you go to Munich or Berlin, you have to ready to pay much more than that.

My first experience with the public transport was in the town where I went to study, Kaiserslautern. It was 2013, I did not have my student card yet, so I had to pay the bus ticket to go to University, which by the way was ~1,5 – 2 km away from where I was. Yes, I could’ve walked, but I had too many things with me so I chose the bus. I paid 1,80€ for that. This was for me costing all my heart. Soon I realized this was nothing compared to a 15€ ticket to go to the next city with train. 😦

Lastly, I cannot emphasize more. If you’re from India, bring a packet (2 perhaps) of medicine – all sorts that you need from home. Medicine is not only expensive here, but difficult to get. I like this about Germany, though. Meds like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or other steam tablets are really expensive here.