Indian expats in Duesseldorf - Get helpful tips, feel at home faster
Whether you’re an Indian expat in Düsseldorf or thinking about moving here — discover the ups and downs of life here and learn how to meet fellow countrymen.
It’s always exciting to experience new cultures, but there are moments when you just want to reconnect with home. And our community is here to help you do all that! Connect with people who’re just as excited about celebrating Diwali, Holi, or Dussehra as you are. And get tips and tricks from other Indian expats about where to find an Indian grocery store, how to survive Düsseldorf's cold weather, and more.
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Thomas Crawford
I knew that there is a big international community in Cologne, but where to find them? Yes, I did indeed find them on InterNations!.
Paula Covington
With InterNations I found other Canadians really quickly. They showed me all the sights and helped me to settle in Bonn. Great!
Why you'll love InterNations in Duesseldorf
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
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The pros & cons of life in Düsseldorf
Nowhere is perfect. Read on to find out what our Indian members love about their life abroad — as well as what challenges they face in Düsseldorf.
Pros:
- Safety: Düsseldorf is a very safe place with a low crime rate. It’s typically perfectly safe to walk around alone at night, even for women.
- Good healthcare: Germany offers quality healthcare that’s accessible not only to local citizens but also to foreign residents.
- Free education: While tuition fees can often be expensive in India (depending on the institution, program, and city), Germany provides free education at public institutions for all residents, including international students. The quality of education here is also high.
- Work–life balance: Employees in Germany are entitled to an annual minimum of 20 days of paid vacation (for 5-day weeks), though depending on your employer and industry, this number is often notably higher. Plus, you can look forward to an additional 11 public holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Public transportation: Düsseldorf offers accessible and convenient public transportation, including trams, buses, and trains. The latter, as well as the nearby Düsseldorf airport, allow you to easily travel across Germany and Europe.
- Cleanliness: With its recycling habits and organized waste separation, Düsseldorf is a very clean city.
**Cons:
- Sunday shutdown: Almost every place, including stores, banks, and government services, is closed on Sunday. It’s even a legal requirement to stay quiet and avoid making loud noises (e.g., mowing your lawn, loud parties), because Germans use Sundays to relax. This might take some time to adjust to.
- Language barrier: Most people in Düsseldorf can speak English at least to some degree. Still, Indians sometimes struggle when doing things that require German language skills, like making official appointments, handling paperwork, or reading important public information.
- Food: German cuisine uses much less spices compared to the rich flavors of Indian cuisine. And while you can find several Indian restaurants here, the taste may not be as authentic as you’d expect. (Tip: Make your own Indian food using ingredients from Indian grocery stores in Düsseldorf like Kashmir Store or Indo-Ceylon House.)
Headline: Why Indians expat move abroad (& how they like it)
Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our Indian members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.
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What Indian expats have to say about living in Dusseldorf
We asked tens of thousands of expats about their lives abroad in our Expat Insider surveys. In addition to our standard questions, we invite them to share what they like or dislike about their experiences in their own words. Here, we’ve selected some of the most interesting or representative quotes about expat life in Dusseldorf from Indians, grouped into positive and negative opinions.
Let’s start with the positive ones.
On the downside, here's are some negative experiences from Indian expats in Dusseldorf
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Meet Indian expats at our events in Düsseldorf
New in town? Don’t just stay at home and do nothing — come out and make friends with us! Everyone here is also from somewhere else and has had their own journey as an expat, so you won’t feel left out at our InterNations events.
They’re a great opportunity to make connections with fellow internationals. And you can also use the opportunity to get useful information about your new home. Especially the Newcomers’ Events are perfect if you’re new to the city. Our amazing Ambassadors will gladly welcome you and introduce you to the community.
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Frequent questions about Düsseldorf
If you’re looking for work in Düsseldorf, the easiest way is to check out various job platforms like [LinkedIn] (https://www.linkedin.com), Stepstone, or Indeed. You can filter the search with keywords like “English” or “English speaking”. You can also try googling for “English speaking jobs in Düsseldorf” for additional sources and industry-specific results.Don’t forget to always read the job requirements, as some jobs may require you to be proficient in German, too. To expand your search and increase your opportunities, you can also attend job fairs in the local area, such as Jobmesse Düsseldorf or Karrieretag.
Your required income of course depends on your personal situation — whether you’re a student, a single person with a full-time job, or a family with kids.
Here is an overview of the cost of living in Düsseldorf you should consider:
| Monthy cost in INR | Monthly cost in Euro | |
Utilities (Power, water, etc.) | 27,400 INR | 300 EUR |
Rent for a studio apartment | 73,000-82,000 INR | 800-900 EUR |
Rent for a small family home | 130,000-173,000 INR | 1,450-1,900 EUR |
Public transportation | 50 EUR | |
Mobile phone & internet | 4,500 INR | 60 EUR |
Meal at a restaurant (per person) | 1,500-2,700 INR | 15.30 EUR |
Groceries (per person) | 18,200 INR | 200 EUR |
Basic health insurance (public) | min. 14.6% of gross salary |
The average salary for jobs in Düsseldorf is 54,000 EUR per year. If you’re making at least this amount, you can live comfortably here. However, if you have a family and kids to support, you might want to aim higher. Earning between 65,000 and 80,000 EUR is considered a good salary for a family.
Düsseldorf is a very international city, with around a quarter of its residents having foreign roots. Many people speak English, so getting around or handling basic interactions won’t be too hard. Still, this can feel limiting at times, and you’ll hit the language barrier now and then.
So why not use your time in Düsseldorf to learn as much German as possible? Or maybe already pick up some basic German in advance. There are various affordable language courses available, or you make use of free language apps or websites to get you started.
The most challenging moments are usually when you have to handle official paperwork, find a flat, see a doctor, or make an official appointment. To make your life in Düsseldorf easier, we’ve collected some services that cater to English speakers (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations):
General practitioner (GP) |
Overview of general practitioners and specialized care providers who speak English (among other languages). |
|
A medical practice of Doctor Bernhard Hoff; staff there can speak English very well. | |
Dentist |
A dentist with multiple English speakers on staff. |
Urgent Care |
University hospital with a dedicated multilingual approach. |
Immigration assistance |
Relocation, visa and immigration support with a full-service approach. |
Tax Advisor |
A tax advisory service that can assist you with tax returns and give advice in multiple language, including English. |
Instant interpreting service |
Get connected to a native German speaker on your phone and use it to have an instant interpreter with you. |
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Our Global Partners
Pursue your hobbies with amazing new friends
Join our interest-based InterNations Groups to do what you love to do — or discover new passions. These groups are led by dedicated Consuls who organize at least one activity each month, including running, fitness, karaoke, traveling, volleyball, and much more.
One of our most popular topics: food tasting! You can enjoy delicious meals in various restaurants with the Eat & Meet Group. There are also plenty of opportunities to discover the sweet side of life with the Coffee & Cake Group. And when you’re craving food from home and the company of fellow Indians, the Indian Culture Group is there for you.
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Enjoy the international experience with InterNations
We’re not just active in Düsseldorf — InterNations offers lively communities in most of Germany’s major cities.
Whether you’re traveling or relocating, check out our Indian communities in Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Stuttgart, Essen, Bonn, Regensburg, or Heidelberg.
But that’s not all! If you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, you can always join in on InterNations events in other countries, too. We have communities in over 420 cities worldwide. Browse all InterNations Communities worldwide.
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Indian expats in Germany
Other Nationalities in Duesseldorf
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