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Guten Tag, are you planning on moving to Germany from the UK? The country of poets and thinkers is a great place to live with plenty of opportunities! So look no further, our article on removals to Germany from the UK is essential, since it acts as a stellar guide with information about removal costs, the impact of Brexit, work and life culture in Deutschland, and even free removal quotes!
Such a great place to start, it’s always good to have an idea of the cost of removals to Germany from the UK before you start. For an idea of how much it costs to move to Germany from the UK, on average, a 3-bed house removal can cost between £2,300-£3,200 by road.
Given that your costs are such a crucial factor, you should check out our page on international moving costs for even more information on what costs you can expect from removals to Germany.
To give you an initial idea of how much removals from the UK to Germany can cost, the table below provides estimates for moving from London to Germany, depending on your household size and mode of transport.
| Household Size | Cost via Road | Cost via Sea |
| 1-bed flat | £1,400-£2,000 | £2,200-£3,100 |
| 2-bed house | £1,800-£2,500 | £2,900-£4,000 |
| 3-bed house | £2,300-£3,200 | £4,700-£6,400 |
| 4-bed house | £3,100-£4,200 | £5,300-£7,200 |
| 5-bed house | £3,900-£5,300 | £7,300-£9,800 |
Disclaimer. The rates shown above are just estimates. Costs will vary depending on your actual point of departure and the service rates of the company.
Find the most trustworthy moving companies that specialize in seamless removals to Germany here. Experience a stress-free move with a dedicated team of professionals!
Just so you know, the biggest factor that will impact the price and quality is your choice of removal company for your move. However, finding and comparing companies for international house removals to Germany from the UK can be a pain. Who wants to spend time contacting dozens of companies to find the best price?
Fortunately, Sirelo is here to save you time and money! You can request free removal quotes today by filling out the form below and receive up to 5 free removal quotes today. Talk about making removals to Germany easy. 😉
Unfortunately, due to Brexit, you will need a visa to move to Germany from the UK, unless you are an EU citizen. You can visit the German Embassy where you will be able to find all the information and advice you need to guide you through the visa application process.
If you have any more questions about visas for Germany? And we’re sure you do. Then you should check out our page about them here!
To save you precious time, below we have compiled a checklist indicating what you need to organise prior to moving to Germany from the UK. Please visit our moving house checklist page for more general information. Once this checklist is complete, you can rest assured that your move from the UK to Germany will be smooth sailing.
It’s important to keep these documents safe, moving can be chaotic. So, you should have duplicate copies just in case. Additionally, there are some documents that you should prepare or that will prove useful to have on hand when moving to Berlin from the UK:
Unless you intend to take charge and be responsible for shipping your belongings during removals to Germany from the UK, it’s best to find a removal company. A great place to start looking is in our list of the UK’s top international removal companies!
As this is essential if you want to move your belongings, you should start early and read our expert packing guide to help you along the way. Removals to Germany are much easier when you’re prepared and have a great checklist to follow.
Before you move to Germany, you’ll need to contact HM Revenue and Customs. Since Germany and the UK have an agreement to avoid double taxation it should be easy, they just need to know that you want to avoid that. 😉
If you’re moving to Germany with pets, there are a few things that you’ll need to do, as stated by the German government. Cats and Dogs will need:
You will need to register your address with the local municipality within 14 days of your arrival. After this, you should receive a Steueridentifikationsnummer (tax ID number) which you need for tax and work purposes.
Fortunately, this will be an area of relative familiarity. As all foreigners living and working in Germany are entitled to subsidised health insurance. However, it is important to have health insurance in order to apply for a visa or residence permit. For more information, you can read more about healthcare in Germany here!
Kann Sie Deutsch sprechen? Obviously, if you can’t, it might be high time to start learning or even revising. While you should start before you move to Germany, you can also learn after you arrive, there’s nothing quite like language immersion to start learning. Thus, you should avail of some resources that you can use to are the lessons offered by the DW and finding a language network through this German Ministry of Migration.
Undoubtedly, if you are planning on being in Germany for some time, it is strongly advised to get a German bank account, it’s best to avoid currency conversion fees if you can. Below is a list of banks to consider opening an account with:
While you can either drive it yourself or have it shipped, the latter requires you to pay for the cost of shipping and transport insurance. After six months in Germany, your car will require a German number plate for a €200 fee.
Sirelo tip: Keep your gas tank full and healthy. Otherwise, you might find yourself in trouble, as it is a criminal offence to run out of fuel on a highway. Uh oh!
Now you know how to move to Germany from the UK, it is time to learn a little about German culture and working life. Not only does Germany promise the best pretzels and bratwurst in the world, but it also boasts the largest economy in Europe, despite having the shortest average working week!
There are many cultural differences in comparison to the UK. The main variables are in the business sector. There is a great importance on keeping work and private life separate; therefore it’s best to keeping joking at a minimal level and to not use first names for everyone. Their hard working ethic and reputation for being punctual and working hard is just one of the reasons why their economy is still booming. They are the third largest economy of the world and number one in Europe!
It’s not just working hard that Germans prioritise but are good at being very social outside of work. It is common for friends to meet up after work and drink a beer together. Food is an important factor of the German culture, similarly to the UK, it is common a social affair.
Students in Germany also have a very different 
attitude to those in the UK. Working hard comes naturally to German students and they are known exceeding in their studies and take it very seriously in comparison to UK students who are known for the partying side of university. Find out more about universities in Germany on our page top 10 universities in Germany.
Climate in Germany has relatively mild winters and warm summers with rainfall through out the year, something us Brits are used to! The scenery can be beautiful with mountainous and hilly areas. This can affect the variation of the weather depending where you are living.
There is a big contrast between old and new houses in Germany, this is from the Second World War where most houses were destroyed. The reconstruction of houses was after 1950, most of the German population now live in apartments or semi-detached houses. The new houses have been improved with more comfortable features. Larger cities such as Berlin, Munich and Dusseldorf are much more modern than smaller villages where you will see mostly detached houses.
Properties in Germany are considerably cheaper than in the UK. Renting is generally more expensive when comparing buying prices. Rent is around 45% cheaper in Germany in comparison to the UK and buying is an astonishing 92% cheaper in Germany. Similarly to the UK it is not too easy to get a mortgage, and individuals must provide enough information to prove they can afford it.
While you can either drive it yourself or have it shipped, the latter requires you to pay for the cost of shipping and transport insurance. After six months in Germany, your car will require a German number plate for a €200 fee.
Sirelo tip: Keep your gas tank full and healthy. Otherwise, you might find yourself in trouble, as it is a criminal offence to run out of fuel on a highway. Uh oh!
Much like the cost of your move, this depends on where exactly in Germany you choose to live. While Berlin and Hamburg are generally considered the most expensive places to live, these cities are usually home to well-paying jobs. Hence, we’ve created this table showing some cost-of-living metrics for Germany and the UK to compare.
| Germany | UK | |
| Rent for 1 bedroom apartment in the city centre | £671 | £758 |
| Basic monthly utilities for 85m2 apartment | £196 | £156 |
| 1L of milk | £0.71 | £0.91 |
| Cappuccino | £2.50 | £2.75 |
| 0.5L of draught beer | £3.16 | £3.63 |
| 1l of gasoline | £1.28 | £1.27 |
Did you know? There are over 1,500 different beers in Germany! And in Bavaria, beer is officially considered food. It goes without saying that we’re very envious of your move 😉
Time for some more good news: the German job market is thriving! With it is commonly regarded as Europe’s industrial powerhouse and has the second-lowest unemployment rate in Europe. Sounds like the place to be!
So, if you are interested in finding work in Germany, here is a list of some job search websites to start:
The 16 states In Germany are primarily responsible for their education policy. There are some differences within the states when it comes to the educational policies as well as the types of schools that you will find. Education in Germany starts with Kindergarten(nursery school) although, this is not compulsory. Parents can bring their children to Kindergarten from the age of one to six. Generally, children start kindergarten around the age of three. From the age of six, school attendance becomes compulsory. At the age of six and above, children attend the Grundschule (primary school) until the age of 10. After the Grundschule, pupils can attend 4 main types of secondary schools. In some or certain states the school type may be a combination of different types of schools, a good example of such a school is the Gesamtschule.
Here below you will find the description of the 4 main secondary school types plus some other types of schools that exist in Germany .
As previously mentioned, an expat moving to Germany for a short period of time may choose to enrol their child in an international school. Other reasons for enrolling your child in an international school may be to facilitate a smooth transition from the school in their native country to the school in Germany. Whichever reason you may have for enroling you child in an international school, you can be rest assured about the quality of international schools in Germany. International schools in Germany are usually accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) so you can be sure of their standards.
International schools, generally offer the International Baccalaureate. They may also offer the American high school diploma, British A Levels and the German Abitur. It is of importance to check with the schools what diploma’s they offer. Moreover, if you intend to enrol you child in a international school you are advised to contact them well in advance since there may be a waiting list. Aside from that, International schools can be quite costly; a high school may charge up to 16.000 euros per year for one student. It is therefore worthwhile to check in advance which school options you have in the area you plan to relocate to.
If you are thinking of moving to Germany, Sirelo can help you. We recommend you take a look at the pages below -they will help you start planning your move to Germany on the right foot. 🙂
Now that you know how you can move to Germany from the UK, the final thing to do is to get excited! Even if you only remember some of what you’ve read, you should be on your way to a less stressful move.
But before we toast your successful move, we just want to tell you that in Germany you should never say cheers with a glass of water. Otherwise, it’ll be interpreted as wishing death upon your drinking buddies; not a great way to meet new friends!
Finally, don’t forget to check out the pages we have linked for you below, as there’s even more useful information that you can use to make removals to Germany even smoother. We’re wishing you the best and Viel Erfolg bei Ihrem Umzug! 🙂
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