What is it like in Germany?

If you are preparing to move to Germany, you will probably have a number of questions that you would like to ask: what is the weather like, what side of the road do they drive on, what can I eat, how much do things cost, what can I take with me, can I watch English television? Here are some answers for you!

What is the weather like?

The climate in Germany is mostly temperate. Extreme temperatures are rare. Summer temperatures usually range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius and can be sunny or rainy. Winters range from 12 degrees to minus 20 degrees depending on which part of Germany you live in.

Weather changes are very frequent! It is always recommended to have rain gear and a warm jacket.

What side of the road do the Germans drive on?

Germans drive on the right side of the road and the car steering wheels on the left side of the car. If you are thinking of bringing your car with you, you may have to have a number of items changed for it to satisfy German safety standards. This information as well as a list of traffic rules and regulations can be found on this website.

What can I eat?

German food is fresh and plentiful. Fruit and vegetables, meat, potatoes, bread and pastries, dairy products such as cheese, milk and yoghurt are all in abundance. Traditional German food as well as international food and fast food chains are all easy to find. Please read more about this subject in our article about dining out!

What are the prices of items?

Here are some examples of average prices of food, clothing and free time activities in Germany.

Average prices of food:

1 litre of milk 0.80 Cents
1 loaf of bread 2.50 Euros
1 kilo of ground beef 6 Euros
1 kilo of apples 2 Euros
250 grams of butter 2 Euros

Average prices of clothing (not designer models):

a pair of leather shoes 80 Euros
a pair of trainers 50 Euros
a pair of jeans 70 Euros
a blouse 50 Euros
a sweater 60 Euros

Free time activities:

cinema 8 Euros
museum 10 Euros
indoor swimming pool 6 Euros
sauna 17 Euros
1 litre of super petrol 1.50 Euros (prices change daily)
cappuccino 3 Euros
Italian ice-cream 1 Euro per scoop

What can I take with me?

You are allowed to bring most personal and household items with you duty free if you are planning to stay for a longer period of time. Appliances may not be compatible with Germany electricity standards, so make sure you check the voltage your country uses before you decide to ship your appliances. German voltage is 220-240 volts. For small electrical appliances, such as blow dryers and razors or even mp3 players and laptops, it is no problem to use an adaptor. However, larger items such as refrigerators and washing machines are not only very expensive to ship but may need expensive re-wiring if you want to use them in Germany.

If you are bringing your car, please read our section about importing a car!

Can I watch English television?

There are a number of news channels in English, such as CNN and BBC. If you want to watch English television, you will need either satellite television or pay-tv, which both offer more channels than standard. DVDs can be watched in the original language. Radio programmes are also available in the English language. We have a section on this website about television and radio. Please feel free to read more about this topic there!

Fidelio Main Office: +49 69 40 56 499-1 · info(bittekeinspam)fidelio-relocation.de