I'm Much Happier Living In Berlin Than In The U.S. — Here's How Much It Costs
Video Overview & Insights
American Vanessa Wachtmeister, 34, dropped her law school dreams for a life abroad. She now lives in Berlin on a six-figure salary with her German husband Marcus. They pay about $2,000/month for an 1,100-square-foot apartment with a balcony. Vanessa feels happier and less stressed, paid off her student loans and is investing $1,000/month. She's also a German dual citizen. Here's how she did it.
I went to Europe back in 2024 England and France and I loved it
Produced & Edited by: Tasia Jensen
Senior Director of Video: Jessica Leibowitz
Under multiple crisis (fuel, aging society, housing shortage) Germany is a failing country,
price of eggs increased one fourth in just a year......
"It is absolutely worth pursuing this life aboard" is actually great wake-up call for German youngsters ,
Camera: Jan Rödger
Animator: Christina Locopo
So much nuisance together. Germans do not love to cook and they daily eat bread with ham or cheese for dinner. They have to take the kitchen when they move from the apartments because the landlord does not want to be responsible for any appliance breaking. Germany is famous for sausages and potatoes. It is not a foodie country like french cuisine or italian.
Contributors Editor: Nina Zipkin
Additional Footage: Vanessa Wachtmeister, Getty Images
I lived in Germany for two years because I played basketball in the Bundesliga , there's a couple of things that I missed mentioned here. Taxes. However I played just when the Berlin wall came down.
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One thing to remember is for every 1 American loving life abroad there is 10 from that country trying to get to US
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I live in Berlin and been here for years , I will tell you many dreams to move to US from here 😅😅😅..these type of videos whichever places it might be it's a marketing video..Berlin is the only capital in the entire EU countries which contributes negligible to the country's GDP...
I will leave the place if I get a chance to move to US..😅😅 I know many will surely.
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Dudes lucky. Good luck finding a woman in the US who wants to go 50/50 on anything. Women will call you broke and not a man for it. It’s ridiculous, partnership doesn’t exist.
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🤯 Your Appartement is huge (for european standards). How is it possible that such an appartment has only two bedrooms?
You COULD try to study german law, but beeing a lawyer is really here is mostly bad compared to the USA.
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Ladies, STOP going 50/50 with these men!!! . . . "Men"?
#relocated
I Left The U.S. For Berlin — Now I Bring In Six Figures Working Remotely
We don't love our kitchens more than anyone else. The reason why we have to install our own is because the apartments usually come without one. And when you leave, you have to return the apartment to its original state, which was without the kitchen in it. You CAN negotiate for the next party to buy the kitchen from you, but the landlord still has to agree to it. When I moved out of my old apartment the landlord didn't allow me to keep the kitchen installed, because they wanted to renovate it. And they're within their rights to disallow to keep the kitchen in there even if the next party wants it.
More User Perspectives
Same here, I’m also confused about using Globro for Germany.
@Ziya-v9jWow that rent is sooo cheappp
@katewebster8101I stopped the video after she said "gig at Fortune 500 company making 6 figures".
@evoz4489🇧🇷
@SabrinaMarlyWait... So you didn't make it in the greatest country on the entire planet, the only country that is really free, with the "bestest" of education, sports, culture and opportunities and now you make other US Americaaans come here as well? Fix your own system or live with your overpriced society.
@michaelrichter-s4cThank you so much, Vanessa 🙏
@VictorA.KepplerIt's better to exit the western economies for a healthy and happy life
@baalworshipperReally enjoyed this.
I’ve been in Germany for 7 years now. Germany hasn’t been easy, but it’s brought me in contact with amazing people from all over the world and stories I never imagined I’d be part of.
Reiche Leute auf ihrem Spielplatz.
@gerdahessel2268Proud of you girl!!
@joyceho1290“Berlin as Disneyland for adults” is a catchy phrase, but it also hides some realities. For many people who live and work here, this city isn’t a playground — it’s home, with rising rents, long waiting lists for housing, and very real financial limits. Normalizing €2–3k rents as “just how it is” actively reshapes who can stay.
Also, a small clarification: the German Integrationskurs isn’t “for refugees.” It’s a public integration program for migrants in general — workers, spouses, long-term residents — with different levels of subsidy. Paying privately doesn’t change who the course is meant for.
Berlin can be inspiring, but it works best when it’s approached as a place to live with others, not consume.
The car to die for
@Rep1nS550 a month for food for two people is crazy
@quadrlmuff8644I always find the medical view on America to be a bit overstated. I am 61 and over time have had several medical procedures. If an American citizen is employed or covered by government programs, the vast majority of people get very good care with a reasonable co-pay. My emergency room care has never been over $100. My hospital stays were 100% covered to date. I am 61. I don't know anyone personally destroyed by medical cost, but I hear people act like it's a regular occurrence.
@kevinx9225ni hao, Xiao Huang?
@sk-cl5ikBerlin is a Shithole 😂
@DimitrijeLjotic-jo9rm50/50 girl??? that man should be paying the rent by himself at least!
@dailyhavieYou surely not German
@Samantha.authorChinese is not a language. Madarin is.
@magicsaintThe German government and Berlin government should be ashamed of itself. I was in Germany and Berlin a couple of years ago. The amount of graffiti everywhere is disgusting. It was overwhelming and the fact that locals said nothing is being done to address the problem is sad. The graffiti ruined my Berlin experience.
@vwliferThis is a beautiful video. Thank you for this video.
@roderickburns5151they getting paid from there home and its a dream, congrats to her she seems like she got her life completed
@acefpsThese videos are stupid. Always leaving USA, speak multiple languages, already rich or has secret help. This is just a negative channel series. Not everyone is happy moving, can work remotely or travel. Every country has good things and bad issues, including Germany.
@ArkangelV1Plus size. A true representative of US
@semprefidelis76Interesting to see that now even CNBC jumped on the bandwagon. If you search Youtube alone for channels of people who not only travelled but moved from the U.S. to Germany, you'll find hundreds !
@BonFire71Berlin has become a Ghetto 😂
@marcopolo20360:04 For me*. Poor grammar.
@johnanon509Well the Berlin i saw last year was worse than any major city in the US. :D
@IshworTravelerhello ? no one happy in berlin ! even Germans
@karlm7639I was curious since you're married, (not just living together) why you pay half of the expenses along with your husband. Is that a European way of dealing with things? Most married couples I know just put all their money into a joint account, work out a budget and pay their bills. They don't have an attitude of my money versus your money. Is that a German philosophy? Do you ever get depressed living in Germany with their history from World War II?
@nancyinboise2160Great.. another YouTuber..
@dannyrivera2That's not good mexican food.
@halifaxx55This is so inspiring !
@giovannagonzalez6247OMG, Berlin is soo meh... very average city, not even worth to visit
@MalvinRogerI too am from southern California. She from LA and me from SD. I too am moving to Berlin, and I will be there in January.
@EFLWithAndrewWhat's making her happy? Eating all that German schnitzel? It shows.
@u-dumbassomg 2k for aparment per month way overpriced!
@mariomarioo3638When moving to Germany, please avoid Berlin! It’s known as the sh*thole of the whole country. Consider moving to the south.
@shaclo1512Splitting bills 50/50% is a bad deal 😢
@maryanasky