Living in Germany
A multicultural society
Germany is a multicultural society. Throughout the republic - in the major cities of Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart or Munich as well as in the small towns - people from all corners of the world contribute to the country's appearance. Of the 82 million inhabitants living in Germany, 67.1 million are Germans.
The major immigrant groups are the Turks, Greeks, Italians, Poles, Russians, Serbs, Croatians and Spaniards. Around one-in-five of the foreigners living in Germany were actually born here and so belong to the so-called second or third immigrant generation. How great and lasting the impact of the many millions of immigrants has been on German everyday life can be heard, seen, smelt and tasted everywhere. The individual national groups cultivate their language and culture. The influence of these immigrant groups is most noticeable in the gastronomic and food sector.
However, not only the eating habits of Germans have changed. Their whole lifestyle has as well. One could say that the Germans have become a lot more relaxed, easy-going and cosmopolitan as a result of the many different contacts with people and cultures from all around the world.
The climate is better than its reputation
Germany weather is actually much better than its reputation. The country generally enjoys warm summers with average temperatures of around 20°C, in extremes sometimes rising to 35°C. Icy winter months with temperatures below the freezing point (0° C) have become something of a rarity. Meteorologists have above all recorded substantial increases in average temperatures in the winter months of December and January. The climate differs substantially between northern Germany and southern Germany. Most of Germany lies in the cool, moderate climate zone in which humid winds from the North Sea predominate. The climate in north-western and northern Germany is really oceanic. The winters there are mild and the summers relatively cool. The south-east, by contrast, has a continental climate, in some cases meaning very cold winters and very warm summers. But it rains less than in the north. In Germany's south-west, the summers often have a subtropical, humid warmth to them. Another typical feature of the south is the warm dry wind from the mountains, known as the foehn.
Living costs
The International Cost of Living Table compares prices in countries all around the world and shows that Germany comes eleventh in the ranking. Generally, students have to reckon on spending one third of their monthly budget on rent. However, prices differ substantially between town and country and between the old states of western Germany and the new states of eastern Germany.