Living in Frankfurt

"Were someone to ask me what place I thought more comfortable for my cradle, more fitting for my bourgeois attitudes, more appropriate for my poetic view, I could not name a better city than Frankfurt." (Johann Wolfgang Goethe)

Ranked 7th best city in the world for quality of life (Mercer Consulting 2018)

in the course of its history, the city of Frankfurt on the river Main has developed into a multifaceted and highly versatile European metropolis, specifically having become the financial center of Continental Europe. Over 370 credit institutes from 53 countries run operations here. This enormous number of financial institutions includes almost all German private and public banks as well as many of the internationally well-known players from both Europe and the United States. Frankfurt also has been home to an exchange for more than 400 years. Home to both the Deutsche Börse and the Eurex, over 90% of today’s total stock exchange turnover in Germany is handled in Frankfurt. Also located in Frankfurt is one of the key global economic policy institutions, the European Central Bank, as well as several key national economic policy institutions, such as the Deutsche Bundesbank and the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau. The proximity of Goethe University to Frankfurt’s economic and financial institutions provides unique opportunities to foster the exchange between academics, professional economists, and economic and financial decision makers.

Everyday life in Frankfurt is international and multilingual, given that almost every third person in Frankfurt holds a non-German passport. Frankfurt’s international airport is the “Gateway to Europe”, as its more than 70 million passengers a year make it the largest airport in Germany. The Frankfurt Trade Fair is one of the oldest in the world and organizes world famous fairs like the Book Fair or the IAA International Motor Show.

Yet the Main metropolis is not just a business city and European transportation hub, it also has a unique and thriving social scene. The city offers a total of 37 museums, 109 galleries, 33 theaters, over 50 movie theaters, and numerous other attractions including the Frankfurt Opera. Numerous publishing houses, including Suhrkamp and Campus, help mould the city’s cultural profile. Countless bars, cafés and restaurants are scattered throughout the city. The zoo, the Main promenade, the botanical gardens and other municipal parks are much-loved oases in the city. Both local and international stores on shopping streets like Frankfurt’s Zeil and Goethestrasse guarantee that a stroll through the city is an exciting one. Just 20 kilometers from downtown Frankfurt lie the Taunus mountains, with their broad expanses of woodland, and the beautiful Rheingau wine-growing region is just a stone’s throw away.

Cost of Living

Next to Munich, Hamburg or Cologne, Frankfurt am Main is one of the most expensive cities in Germany. Whether it’s a cappuccino, the rent or entry to a museum – prices in the banking metropolis are often considerably higher than in other regions. This fact is reflected in the cost of living. In total you should calculate monthly living expenses around 950 Euro including accommodation, food, semester fees, etc. You should ensure that you always have some more money at your disposal than you actually need so you are prepared for unplanned expenses.

Top