Vlogger Cosmin Avram visited Germany and spoke with two Romanians from Frankfurt about the cost of living in the German metropolis. Food prices are roughly the same as in Romania, and salaries start at 1,600 euros.
Food prices in Germany are similar to those in Romania. PHOTO: Shutterstock
Vlogger Cosmin Avram visited Germany and was hosted in Frankfurt by Adina and Bogdan, two Romanians who have been living here for 4 years. “I stayed in Spain for 10 years, and he is from Romania. One year I learned German in Romania. And then I came through an agency for the job. And since then the very big challenge has been with the German language“, claimed Adina.
A couple in Frankfurt needs less than 2,000 euros per month, and the minimum wage is around 1,600 euros per month. The two Romanians he spoke to have 1,200 euros in fixed costs and pay 600 euros for food.
At first, they lived in the center, from where they tried to flee as quickly as possible. “The city is ok, you can find almost everything you want. Lots of immigrants, lots of them. More than in other European countries. In recent years, many have come from certain countries, that is, we also see them at work, how they are in their beginnings, trying to learn German, some women, for example, are not allowed to work more than four hours a day or week. Life is ok dear…“, said Adina.
Asked to compare it to life in Spain, she claimed: “Sometimes I really miss Spain. The vibe is different, the people are different. Here they are colder, more reserved. You can’t make friends at work. I speak from my perspective, I don’t know what field others work in. And the weather. By the way, you don’t have depression, you live in Germany. It’s always cold. We have two months of heat a year.”
Asked how expensive it is to live in Germany, Adina says: “To give you an example, for light, two people on 60 square meters pay somewhere around 135 euros per month. In Spain I was paying 4 people in an apartment, I think 50 euros or something like that. Okay, many years ago, it’s probably more expensive everywhere now. It is somewhere at the level of France. And rent and food and everything. There is a problem with rents, at least in Germany, that even students can no longer find accommodation. I think a room starts at 600 euros. A room in a shared apartment from 600 per person.”
Cosmin Avram explored Frankfurt. PHOTO: Cosmin Avram
1,600 euros minimum salary
The two complain that food has become more expensive lately. “The kebab came to 9 euros, and he gives you something small like this…”says Bogdan.
“If you go to a restaurant here, in the central area, you have to pay at least 20 euros per person“, he adds. An expresso costs 1.5 euros, an expresso machiatto -2 euros, a water -2 euros.
The two searched for an apartment for 8 months: “We stayed in a hotel for a while and now we pay less for a two-room apartment than we paid in the center for, I think, 15 square meters,” explained Adina. And the wages are higher. “They have grown lately. For example, I think the minimum wage is somewhere around 12.41 euros if I haven’t been raised. If we multiply times 40 hours per week..“, detailed Adina. Bogdan completed: “Around 1600 euros, I would say a little more. So a gross minimum wage“.
Taxation is different if you are married or single, if you have children or not.
About 2,000 euros monthly expenses for two people
The two pay the rent and utilities 850 euros, with all utilities, except electricity, which is paid separately: “And I also bought the furniture because in Germany I think 95% of the apartments that are for rent are empty. Only with the kitchen if you’re lucky, if not you have to buy that one too.”
A couple has fixed costs of somewhere around 1,200 fixed costs. “Plus, a budget of somewhere around 600 euros for food, including one or two outings to a restaurant per month and that’s it. So around until 2000, let’s say. Until 2000, yes. When you have two people with a full salary, you can also afford vacations, shopping“, claimed Adina.
“Prices like in Romania”
Cosmin asked the two Romanians how they thought the prices? “Because many people say that countries like Italy and Germany are cheaper than Romania. How do you see things?”
“With the salary here, I interpret the prices differently. I mean, if I have a salary of, say, 2,000 euros and I spend 600 euros on food, it seems ok to me. But if in Romania you have a salary of 400-500 euros and you spend 500 euros on food, a family of two, naturally it seems much more expensive, it seems exorbitantly expensive”claimed Bogdan.
He stated that during the time they stayed in Bârlad, they shopped at local supermarkets: “They were the same prices. I paid with the same card and practically everything I bought was paid in euros. And I calculated: in two weeks I spent about 200 euros.”
The quality? – asked Cosmin, specifying that, for example, in Italy the quality is much better than in Romania.
“My mother also told me, the products that are sold in Romania are usually manufactured either in Poland or in Turkey, that is, the manufacturers make them for Eastern Europe“, said the Romanian.
Cosmin Avram’s conclusion about life in Frankfurt was:
“Beautiful, clean, pleasant, but the image is spoiled by these begging people. They are everywhere. I think there are most of them here, I mean, I don’t know if there are any other cities where I have seen so many researchers per square meter”.
