- Antoine Mariaux
What I really like about 51ԹϺMunich? The wonderful crowd of outgoing and lively expats at our local events, of course!
Get tips & make friends in Munich
Are you already living in Munich? Or maybe you’re thinking about moving here? Learn the ins and outs of life in Munich from other Canadian expats in our community — and find out how to meet them. Experiencing life abroad is amazing and never gets old. But there are moments when it’s just nice to spend some time with your fellow countrymen. Maybe you’d like to find someone to watch the NHL games with, or you’re looking for a store that stocks all the Canadian snacks that you’ve been missing. Not to worry, our community has got you covered!
Why you'll love 51ԹϺin Munich
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
The pros & cons of living in Munich
No place is perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly — find out what our Canadian members love about their life abroad but also the challenges they face in Munich.
The pro of living in Munich
Safety: Munich is a very safe city. There’s relatively little crime, with Munich regularly ranking as the safest big city in Germany.
Ease of travel: In Germany, it’s much easier to travel between cities using various methods of transportation, from inland flights to a car trip on the infamous Autobahn. And since Munich is so centrally located, you can easily get to other European countries, too.
Charm: Munich is a city that combines nature with big city life. The culture in Munich is very laid back and comparatively slow.
Vacation days: In Germany, you’re entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days a year (for a 5-day week). The actual number of vacation days is often notably higher, though. Plus, Bavaria has many public holidays throughout the year. This gives you more time to relax than you would with the minimum ten days of vacation time in Canada.
Weather: Canadian winters can be far harsher than German ones, so winters in Munich — while still cold — are much more bearable.
The cons of living in Munich
Bureaucracy: German bureaucracy can be a nightmare. Researching and finding answers to your questions may take a long time, and few things are done online. All official documents are typically still sent to you by post.
Cultural differences: Germans are not known to be as friendly as Canadians, so making local connections might be harder.
Language barrier:While you can get by with just English, it can be hard to connect with others and carry out specific tasks without knowing German. Official appointments, finding housing, or doctor visits, for example, often require some knowledge of the local language — and German is not an easy language to learn.
Taxes: Germany can be brutal with its tax system. The tax and social contributions add up to even higher shares of your income than in Canada. Germany was ranked second for high tax burden among 31 other OECD countries.
Meet Canadian expats at our events in Munich
Making friends and building a network in a new city can be hard. Luckily, at our events, everyone is from somewhere else and it’s completely normal to introduce yourself to people and ask them about their own expat journey. You’ll meet a bunch of international people and other Canadians in no time and get first-hand information about your new home. Check our upcoming events and become part of Munich’s large expat family. Newcomers’ Events are specially geared towards people that are new to the city. Our welcoming hosts, called Ambassadors, will greet you with open arms and introduce you to the community.
Want to meet other Canadians at our events?
Frequent questions about expat life in Munich
If you’re into the idea of just bumping into other Canadians in a bar, you can try your luck with Irish pubs like Kilians or Kennedy’s. They are popular among expats and often also broadcast select sport games (incl. NHL). But that’s doing it the hard way in our opinion. It’s much easier to make friends when attending specific events for global minds. Our 51ԹϺevents are a great opportunity to meet fellow Canadians and other English-speaking expats in Munich. Especially our Newcomers’ Events are geared towards introducing you to the community, which makes finding your first friends a whole lot easier than trying your luck in a bar.
Munich is a very international city that receives a substantial number of foreign tourists every year. So, it’s not too hard to get around with no to very limited German skills. Still, you’re bound to run into the proverbial language barrier now and then, for example when going to the doctors or needing to handle official paperwork. So ideally, you treat your time in Munich as an opportunity to learn some German. There’s a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started. Or you use online apps to improve on your own time and budget. To make your time in Munich a bit easier, we’ve collected some services that cater to English speakers (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations):
General practitioner (GP) | List of English-speaking doctors and medical services in Munich; includes their location so you can find one close to you |
Dentist | The dentist speaks multiple languages besides English; easy to reach by U-Bahn or bus. |
Urgent care | Hospital providing medical assistance in the language you speak in, with several locations across Germany. |
Immigration assistance | Relocation and visa support with a full-service approach. |
Tax advisor | A tax adviser that will prevent you from being double taxed and help you navigate the German tax system. |
Instant interpreting service | Round the clock interpretation services and more. |
The average cost of living in Munich can range from 2,000 to 3,500 EUR depending on your circumstances and family situation. Most people say to live comfortably in Germany with your family you should earn about 5,000 EUR monthly. Let’s break down the costs of living in Munich:
| CAD per month | Local currency per month | |
Utilities (power, water, etc.) | 445 CAD | 300 EUR |
Rent for a studio apartment | 2,200 CAD | 1,500 EUR |
Rent for a small family home | 3,000–3,700 CAD | 2,000–2,500 EUR |
Public transportation | 75 CAD | 50 EUR |
Mobile phone & internet | 90 CAD | 60 EUR |
Meal at a restaurant (per person) | 30 CAD | 20 EUR |
Groceries (per person) | 300–530 CAD | 200–350 EUR |
Basic health insurance (public) | min. 14.6% of gross salary |
Meet other Canadians in Munich
Our Global Partners
Find friends to pursue your passions with
Do you want to continue with your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living in Munich? There’s a variety of 51ԹϺGroups you can join, including everything from theater to hiking. These are run by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month. Enjoy dinners in Munich’s finest restaurants with the DinnerNations Group or join the Outdoor Explorers for outings with other expats to explore all that the city and its surroundings have to offer. From sports and entertainment to networking and philosophy, there’s something for everyone.
Find other Canadians to share your hobbies with
Enjoy the international experience with InterNations
We’re not just active in Munich! 51ԹϺoffers lively communities in most of Germany’s major cities. Whenever you’re traveling or maybe even moving elsewhere in the country, check out our Canadian communities in Berlin, Hamburg , Frankfurt, üǰ, Essen, Cologne, Bonn, Regensburg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, or many more cities. But that’s not all: we have communities in 420 cities worldwide. So, if you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, we’ve got you covered. Browse all 51ԹϺCommunities worldwide..
- Antoine Mariaux
What I really like about 51ԹϺMunich? The wonderful crowd of outgoing and lively expats at our local events, of course!
- Chen Ming
I had my first "mass" of Oktoberfest beer at the 51ԹϺevent for the Munich expat community - thank you, InterNations! :)
