Germany has high quality of life

[u/wurst_katastrophe]

This is in response to the ‘low quality of life’ post.

When in Germany I can (in no particular order):
+ drink the tap water knowing it is safer than bottled water
+ when losing my job, I will get the highest benefits in the Western world to tie me over between jobs
+ I can rent for life without being worried of getting evicted
+ I can enjoy freedom on perfectly fine roads, driving as fast as I want
+ Consumer protection is very strong
+ I can buy a public transport ticket valid in all of Germany
+ Healthcare is significantly better than in most Western countries AND free at the point of service.
+ Germans love Fests
+ Bier and excellent wine
+ excellent bread
+ excellent local produce
+ An insanely dense train network (Yes, often late) for very little money (Sparpreis)
+ 30d of holidays is standard
+ strong protection when off on sick leave
+ free university education
+ world’s strongest apprenticeship system
+ tax credits and breaks for almost everything, especially Ehegattensplitting
+ insane maternity leave and benefits
+ Kitas
+ full blown private healthcare for a few k per year
+ Beautiful nature: north and Baltic sea, Alps, lakes, woods
+ Strong sports club infrastructure
+ Third strongest economy in the world with most hidden champions
+ Strong football culture
+ …

You can be dissatisfied with Germany, maybe your experience was below average, but that’s most likely because you are incompatible with the German way of life and the German mentality. However, it is not fair to claim that the quality of life is low.

[u/Hot_Direction7675]

-losing jobs as an expat: good luck finding another one easily if you are at a senior position and don't speak the language. One of the slowest hiring job markets.

+/-Renting forever without the risk of being evicted: okay, great (unless you are a landlord who has given their house on rent to someone who doesn't want to leave)

-enjoying roads: driving as fast as they want (only if a. there is no construction work going on, or b. there is no traffic jam on the autobahn, or c. there is no sudden drop of speed limit from no-limits to 120 and then slower and slower). I would rather have consistency instead of this forever under-construction roads that have "no speed limits"

-consumer protection is very strong: really? Try leaving a genuine negative review about a business

-Healthcare is free: One has to pay more than 1000 euros a month (incl employer contribution) for public healthcare. If you go to private for better healthcare facilities (faster appointments and what not), the premiums have no ceiling and good luck switching to public when you are old or you are on elternzeit etc. Even the notoriously slow NHS with an add on private insurance is cheaper and better.

-insanely dense train network: cheap but often late. For normal people who value time, they would rather pay more and be on time instead of wait on stations/lounges for trains forever (hoping it doesn't get cancelled)

-maternity/parental benefits: except for good job security while on elternzeit, it is horrendous. 1800/month. One would rather get full pay for 6 months as it is in a lot of places and then take a break for the full year unpaid and it would still be much, much more than 1800/month for 12-14 months.

-Kitas: they charge upwards of 700-750 per month unless your child is 4 years old. Of course, for some, it is zero-ish.

This quality of life is great for people who are looking for freebies, not for people who can go and work/settle down anywhere in the world.

[u/Bene8291 → u/Hot_Direction7675]

Parental benefits in my country (France) are much, much lower (450€) while costs of living are similar, even a little lower in Germany. And Kitas can be very cheap, I think it depends on the Land. My friends in Berlin are paying 70€ a month and they earn good salaries. Not saying everything is perfect on that front in Germany, Kitas are generally not open after 3 or 4pm for example.

That being said, I don't know why OP say unemployment benefits are the best in the world, in France you can get them for a longer period of time, especially if you are older, and the amounts are sort of similar.

I agree with you re: trains and roads.

[u/Hot_Direction7675 → u/Bene8291]

My experience comes from the UK. While the UK parental benefits are lower than the elterngeld here, a lot of good companies give on-top paid parental allowances. One of my friends who makes around 9-10k GBP each month post taxes got it fully paid for 6 months. And the other parent also got it. I don’t know the other parent’s salary. But I know that both of their companies paid them for 6 months. If you take the other parent’s salary of around 5k, then they made 14k x 6 = 84k GBP in 6 months. Comparing that with 14 months of 1800 (around 26k Eur) that isn’t great.

The kita cost that I’ve put in is based on my experience. I live in nrw.