Berlin

Berlin is great but Germany overall is extremely overrated - it is NOT by any means a modern, digitised, tech- nor expat- friendly country. It is grey, depressing, unwelcoming, filled with insanely hard to navigate bureaucracy and nonsensical "rules" about everything. Digitisation does not exist and everything has to be done still in person, via paper mail, by phone or fax. Internet speed is slow and wifi not widespread. Waiting times can be insane e.g. to get a doctor's appointment, and in general what takes minutes in another country can take weeks in Germany. And given that you get taxed on the air you breathe, I would say that this is hardly worth it. And if living in Berlin would make up for it five years ago thanks to the disgustingly cheap cost of life now that rent got thrice as expensive things have dramatically changed for the worse.

Been living in Berlin for a couple of months. Not worth it anymore. Cold, gray, sad, more expensive than Cologne, terrible internet access (especially mobile), impossible to find decent mid-term apartments, everything getting 25% more expensive per quarter.

Been living in 3 different centrally located airbnb in Berlin (2018), each between 800 and 900€ per month for 40-45 sqm (we're two, so 400-450€ each). Each time a full flat and not a shared airbnb, legal now since some months (though it was always possible to get a full flat before as well). Internet was always between 15 and 50 mbps. I spend 100€ per week on food, including restaurants (pretty cheap here), check for Turkish market on Maybachufer and Turkish stores in Neukölln (I spend less on food here than in Chiang Mai!). Berlin is such an awesome place to live, very multicultural, very tolerant, many different neighborhoods, quite relaxed feeling, many parks, lakes all around. No need to speak German at all. Come over here, probably one one of the best place on earth ;) (written in Sept 2018)

The internet sucks in Berlin and is definitely not fast. I don’t know where you get your numbers from but I’m sure you were never in the country for very long and are using the „official numbers“ not the real ones.

Rent a bike using the many dockless bike sharing and enjoy the parks. Berlin is amazing during summer. Betahaus is great to meet other nomads. No need for having a membership, just go to their cafe. Checkout Meetup.com for many opportunities to meet people. AirBnB is ok but pricey, and since 2016 they are not allowed to rent flats, but only rooms. The vibe in Berlin is is usually relaxed and alternative. Falafel and doner are always an option for cheap eating.

Berlin is an amazing city. The two main problems of Berlin are the German way of acting and people that moves there trying to be too cool to take a shower.