| German/Canadian here. Was born and raised in Germany to a Canadian parent. Have lived and worked in Cologne, Berlin, Mountain View, San Francisco and now Toronto. Some random thoughts and musings that might not matter to you: - All in all, having made the switch from a rather high paying (by German standards) job for a DAX30 company to a Silicon Valley-based US employer in Canada, my gross pay decreased but my take home increased due to significantly lower taxes in Canada. After all taxes and deductions my take home pay in Germany was about 51% of gross, in Canada it is about 67%. On the bottom line I come out about equal due to significantly higher cost of living in Canada, especially Toronto.
My groceries spend is factor 2.5, my rent spend is factor 4.5, internet at home is factor 2, cell phone is factor 3 compared to Germany.
Pretty much everything but clothes is much more expensive in Canada. - Also the availability of things through online shops or stores is very different. In Germany we have Services such as Geizhals.de which allows you to compare prices on very specific items across hundreds of online stores. Amazon is usually not the cheapest or best option.
In Canada, Amazon is usually the only option. Or ordering from the US and paying duties and fees. This is especially true if you into crafty or electrical engineering things (parts and materials). - As a visible minority Berlin is going to be fine (if not great!). Other parts of Germany might be less pleasant. I believe physically you'd be safer in Berlin that you'd be in Toronto due to overall significantly lower gun violence. - Depending on how the US administration goes the TN visa might not be a long term option. It certainly isn't, even today, if you plan to stay in the US long term. - Banking in the US and Canada are horrible when compared to the EU. Also: The German credit score system is basically the inverse of the US/Canadian system. Nothing on your file == good. - I personally like winters. Toronto gets lots of snow, Berlin I find to be exceptionally cold and damp during winters but rarely it gets snow. I prefer snow over dampness. - 24 days of paid leave is the legal minimum for a full time position at 6 days per week, 20 days if you work 5 days a week in Germany. That will vary wildly in the US and Canada. And many more things I haven't got the time right now to list. But if you're interested I can go on. |