Dresden is a German city with baroque wonders that have been restored after wartime. Moving to Dresden is worth considering as the city has a low cost of living compared to other similar sized German cities and the quality of life is good.
Moving to Dresden
Is Dresden a good place to live? Living in Dresden can be a cultural experience due to the numerous historical buildings scattered throughout the city. On top of that, there is a convenient transport system so that visiting the sights on your day off or commuting to work should not be a problem.
Whether you are moving to Dresden for work reasons or simply looking for a new place to move to in Germany, you have questions and concerns about your change of address. Here are some of them.
Are there neighbourhoods to avoid?
Moving to Germany, and to Dresden in particular, is not a bad idea. The city has many good neighbourhoods such as Äußere Neustadt, Innere Neustadt, Alstadt, Striesen and Blasewitz, Loschwitz, Hellerau, Südvorstadt, Weißerhirsch and the city centre. There are no bad neighbourhoods, but the less attractive districts are Prohlis and Gorbitz.
Dresden is generally a safe city, but what regularly puts it in trouble are the protest marches of the PEGIDA movement. PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the Occident) was founded in Dresden in 2014 and aims to limit Islamisation, restrict immigration and other far-right political actions.
What is the situation in schools?
While the country offers a free public education system that all locals and foreigners are entitled to use, many expats living in the city prefer to take their children to an international school where they can learn English.
Dresden University of Technology is ranked among the top ten universities in the country and is part of an initiative called the German Universities Excellence Initiative. Other higher education institutions include the Dresden University of Applied Sciences, the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts and the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music. Dresden’s university system is an important part of the city’s economy and has largely contributed to the success of the area’s highly specialised industries.
Is Dresden well connected?
Dresden’s road system is very well managed and maintained. Although there are no road taxes in Germany, petrol prices are much higher than in many other European countries because petrol is taxed to cover road maintenance costs.
As an important transport hub, Dresden has excellent transport links. Foreigners living in the city can legally drive passenger vehicles for 6 months on the basis of a foreign driving licence, after which they must apply for a German driving licence.
The city also has an international airport, Dresden Airport. Regular flights at this airport are offered to Munich, Moscow, Frankfurt, Vienna and Dusseldorf. There are also many tourist flights to Mediterranean regions.
Is Dresden a good place to work?
Due to its dynamism and other factors, Dresden’s economy is ranked among the top 10 German cities to live in. The city’s economy is very dynamic and the main industries are semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Many other industries such as car manufacturing, hi-tech, biotechnology, nanotechnology and the tourism sector also contribute to the city’s economy.
As the capital of Saxony, Dresden is home to most of the state and medical research centres in the region. Around 20% of the city’s employees have a university degree.
Is real estate expensive?
Dresden is divided into 10 districts. The districts of Alstadt, Hellerau and Innere Neustadt are very popular with visitors as they feature ancient architecture.
Rental prices in this city are generally more affordable compared to many other German cities. The monthly rent for a one-bedroom flat in the city centre is around €527, while outside the city centre the monthly rent for a flat of the same size is €416. A three-bedroom flat in the city centre costs €1,250 and a three-bedroom flat outside the city centre costs €800 per calendar month.
