Retiring in Munich?

Since you are based in Munich (we are in Los Angeles) I am reaching out for help; my wife and I are seriously considering retiring in Germany; specifically either Munich or Hamburg.

My wife however is concerned about what she fears is the changing attitude in Germany toward the refugee situation.

In fact tonight we will be attending a presentation at the Goethe Institute Los Angeles called Migration and Integration, here: Protected content

We just returned from a cruise and while we were in a port there was a ship from Germany called the AIDAluna ( Protected content ) that was docked right next to us. We spoke with several of the crew members and they stated that they felt the prevailing attitude is not as welcoming as it was initially.

I/we would really appreciate your candor in this matter.

By the way the manner in which this idea of retiring in Germany came about is (beside the fact that my wife’s heritage is German; her last name is Dorfman) I came across an article that claimed it is cheaper to live in Munich than in Los Angeles. I thought that cannot be accurate. Germany is the wealthiest nation in Europe and Munich is the most expensive city in Germany. It is not as if they were saying it is cheaper to live in Vietnam!

Sure enough I did a comparison and it turned out to be totally accurate; 40% less to live in Munich:

Here: Protected content

Protected content Protected content Angeles
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 1,938.89 €
(2,120.39 $) 2,895.80 €
(3,166.88 $ Protected content %

(The number for Los Angeles is perfectly accurate).

Is it accurate that the German government provides that their citizens, prescribed by a doctor, every 5 years go to a spa for a week?!

A country of 80 million people and yet they are able to this; when you come to the country as a resident and do not sign up for government health care you can be fined and here we are struggling to give people health care; needless to say we were amazed.

Germany consistently comes out in the top five places in the world to retire by numerous global indexes.

We went to Seattle. The issue for me with Seattle is not rainfall it is sunshine; they receive an average of 2,170 hours of sunshine annually. Los Angeles receives Protected content of sunlight per year

That is a difference of Protected content , divided by 8 hours per day = Protected content less of sunshine; almost FIVE months!

Freiburg and Munich are the two sunniest places in Germany as you know and they receive…1,750 and 1,700 hours of sunshine a year! Sheesh less than Seattle! Protected content LESS of sunshine than Los Angeles, and Hamburg even less 1,500 hours of sunshine annually.

Significantly, although the rentals are less in Munich, the per square foot price to buy in Munich is higher than here:

Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 654.39 €
(715.65 $ Protected content €
(643.06 $)

Annual hours of sunshine:

Los Angeles Protected content
Seattle Protected content
Munich Protected content

So another question, is the number 1,750 number of annual hours of sunshine accurate?

Thank you in advance for your time and attention in these matters.

Sincerely,

Christopher Frank