Get tips, join events & make friends in Munich
Are you a British citizen living in Munich or thinking about moving here?
Experiencing Munich and the German culture can be fun and exciting, but sometimes you just want to spend time with your fellow countrymen. Maybe you want to watch football together with other Brits, you’re craving some good fish and chips and need a recommendation, or you’d just love to discuss the latest UK politics with someone.
Luckily, the 51ԹϺcommunity has got you covered. Discover the ins and outs of life in Munich from a British perspective — and have fun getting together with fellow expats in the city.
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Antoine Mariaux
What I really like about 51ԹϺMunich? The wonderful crowd of outgoing and lively expats at our local events, of course!
Chen Ming
I had my first "mass" of Oktoberfest beer at the 51ԹϺevent for the Munich expat community - thank you, InterNations! :)
Why you'll love 51ԹϺin Munich
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
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Why do Brits move abroad … (and do they like it?)
Every year, we run one of the biggest global surveys among expats and ask them about various aspects of their life. Learn what motivates our Canadian members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.
The pros & cons of living in Munich
No place is perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly — find out what our Canadian members love about their life abroad but also the challenges they face in Munich.
Pros:
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Safety: Munich is a very safe city. There’s relatively little crime, with Munich regularly ranking as the safest big city in Germany.
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Charm: Munich is a city that combines nature with big city life. The culture in Munich is very laid back and comparatively slow.
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Vacation days: In Germany, you’re entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days a year (for a 5-day week). The actual number of vacation days is often notably higher, though. Plus, Bavaria has many public holidays throughout the year. This gives you more time to relax than you would with the minimum ten days of vacation time in Canada.
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Public transportation: Public transportation in Munich is much superior to that of the UK (London excluded). Buses and trams as well as the S-Bahn and subway are kept clean and offer frequent services. Tickets are affordable, especially when getting a monthly pass, and often also cover children accompanying their parents.
Cons:
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Bureaucracy: German bureaucracy can be a nightmare. Researching and finding answers to your questions may take a long time, and few things are done online. All official documents are typically still sent to you by post.
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Cultural differences: Germans are not known to be as friendly as Canadians, so making local connections might be harder.
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**Language barrier:**While you can get by with just English, it can be hard to connect with others and carry out specific tasks without knowing German. Official appointments, finding housing, or doctor visits, for example, often require some knowledge of the local language — and German is not an easy language to learn.
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Taxes: Germany can be brutal with its tax system. The tax and social contributions are very high, especially compared to the UK. Germany was ranked second for high tax burdens among 38 OECD countries.
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Meet British expats at our events in Munich
Making friends and building a network in a new city can be hard. So, you’ll be glad to learn that at our events, everyone is from somewhere else and it’s completely normal to introduce yourself to people and ask them about their own expat journey.
Newcomers’ Events are specially geared towards people new to the city. Our hosts, called Ambassadors, will greet you with open arms and introduce you to other newcomers or more experienced expats living in Munich.
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Frequent questions about expat life in Munich
If you’re into the idea of just bumping into other Brits in a bar, you can try your luck with places like Kilians or Kennedy’s, Irish pubs that also show major football and rugby games like the Premier League and the Six Nations Championship. But that’s doing it the hard way in our opinion.
It’s much easier to make friends when attending specific events for global minds. Our 51ԹϺevents are a great opportunity to meet British and other English-speaking expats in Munich. Especially our Newcomers’ Events are geared towards introducing newbies to the community, which makes finding your first friends a whole lot easier than trying your luck in a bar. It’s much easier to make friends when attending specific events for global minds. Our 51ԹϺevents are a great opportunity to meet fellow Canadians and other English-speaking expats in Munich. Especially our Newcomers’ Events are geared towards introducing you to the community, which makes finding your first friends a whole lot easier than trying your luck in a bar.
The average cost of living in Munich can range from 2,000 to 3,500 EUR depending on your circumstances and family situation. Most people say to live comfortably in Germany with your family you should earn about 5,000 EUR monthly.
Let’s break down the costs of living in Munich:
Utilities (power, water, etc.) | 260 GBP | 300 EUR |
Rent for a studio apartment | 1,300 GBP | 1,500 EUR |
Rent for a small family home | 1,700–2,100 GBP | 2,000-2,500 EUR |
Public transportation | 40 GBP | 50 EUR |
Mobile phone & internet | 50 GBP | 60 EUR |
Meal at a restaurant (per person) | 17 GBP | 20 EUR |
Groceries (per person) | 170–300 GBP | 200-350 EUR |
Basic health insurance (public) | min. 14.6% of gross salary |
Munich is a very international city that receives a substantial number of foreign tourists every year. So, getting around with no to very limited German skills is doable. But it won’t always be easy! The most challenging moments usually occur when you must get official paperwork done, are looking for a flat, need to see a doctor, and similar.
So ideally, you treat your time in Munich as an opportunity to learn some German. There’s a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started. And of course, these days there are also several apps that allow you to improve on your own time and budget.
To make your time in Munich a bit easier, we’ve collected some services that cater to English speakers (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations): So ideally, you treat your time in Munich as an opportunity to learn some German. There’s a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started. Or you use online apps to improve on your own time and budget.
To make your time in Munich a bit easier, we’ve collected some services that cater to English speakers (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations):
General practitioner (GP) | List of English-speaking doctors and medical services in Munich; includes their location so you can find one close to you |
Dentist | Zahnarztpraxis Dr. Topp The dentist speaks multiple languages besides English; easy to reach by U-Bahn or bus: Easily reachable dentist in the city center |
Urgent care | Hospital providing medical assistance in the language you speak in, with several locations across Germany |
Immigration assistance | Relocation and visa support with a full-service approach |
Tax advisor | A tax adviser that will prevent you from being double taxed and help you navigate the German tax system |
Instant interpreting service | Round the clock interpretation services and more |
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Find friends to pursue your passions with
Do you want to continue with your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living in Munich? There’s a variety of 51ԹϺGroups you can join, covering everything from music making to running and beyond.
These groups are run by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month. Enjoy dinners in Munich’s finest restaurants with the DinnerNations Group or join the New in Town Group to explore all that the city has to offer, from the Nymphenburg Palace to Marienplatz, a major public space in the heart of Munich with plenty of cafes and bars.
There are also groups for various sports, you can keep your mind active at the Writers Café or with the Coaching Pioneers, and much more!
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Enjoy the international experience with InterNations
We’re not just active in Munich — 51ԹϺoffers lively communities in most of Germany’s major cities.
If you’re travelling or moving within the country, check out our British communities in Berlin, Hamburg , Frankfurt, üǰ, Essen, Cologne, Bonn, Regensburg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, or many more cities.
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British expats in Germany
Other Nationalities in Munich
Germany Guide Topics
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