‘I left the UK and moved to Germany — there’s no reason to stay’

Germany is a great place for a holiday. There are the fairytale castles in Bavaria or you can try your luck at Berghain in Berlin. The country has something for everyone.

But we all know that a much-needed break and permanent relocation are very different propositions.

So, what is it actually like to live there? And is it better than the UK right now? Alex Ahom, a Brit from London, certainly seems to think so.

Alex, 45, moved with his wife and three kids to Hamburg, Germany, 10 years ago due to feeling like there was a lack of opportunity in the UK.

Since biting the bullet and booking the one-way flight, Alex hasn’t looked back, saying he found Germany both cheaper and safer, with overall better benefits. Though there is one thing he misses.

He said: ‘I think there is a trend of people leaving the UK because they are not happy with the government, Brexit, and a few people are unhappy with things like immigration.

‘We wanted to try something different. I felt that the opportunities in London were few and far between.

‘We have a nice place here, two cars, a couple of holidays a year, because life is cheaper here so we can do that.’

Alex explains that the rent for his 2,000-square-metre house in one of the nicest parts of Hamburg is half of what they paid for their small Shepherd’s Bush flat, which they now rent out.

As well as this, Alex has found that everyday costs are cheaper in Germany. He says a loaf of bread costs less than one euro and a litre bottle of water works out at around 30p.

Salaries are also higher in his experience – though Germany is known to have higher taxes than the UK – and most companies offer at least a year of paid maternity leave.

Add to that more green spaces for his children to play, and Alex says it’s a very family-friendly place.

The dad also maintains that safety has played a huge part in why they prefer Hamburg over London.

He recalled one day in their new home where he left his son’s backpack in a park, and a group of teenagers found it and handed it in to the police — which he says he wouldn’t expect in the UK.

In contrast, he says his kids don’t remember much of the UK and view it as ‘scary and dirty’ after a bad experience when somebody broke into their car during a return visit.

He added: ‘If you get accustomed to living in a palace, you are not going to want to go back to living in a shoe box.

‘I miss home, but it doesn’t make sense moving back to a place where we couldn’t afford half of what we have here. You do feel safer. Women do talk about how they are more comfortable walking at night. When you have kids, you do consider these things more.’

It isn’t just the opportunity for more space and a safe environment for his kids that meant they haven’t considered a return to London.

Alex said his family members in the UK have to wait up to two years for surgery, vastly different from his experience of the German health services. ‘On my road there are more than 30 doctors, and it is very strange that you would have to wait more than a day or two for a doctor’s appointment,’ he said.

‘When you weigh up the practical things you start to wonder why you would stay in the UK.

‘The house is cheaper, the car is cheaper, healthcare is cheaper, all schools are free, university is free. People are moving to Germany because they want to provide for their families and it is easier to do that here.’

But, of course, moving to a different country is not always going to be smooth sailing.

Food, for example, is a bit hit or miss for Alex as he misses the diversity and range of food in London, saying he struggles to find meat that isn’t pork in Germany.

The personality of German people was also something that stumped Alex, as he says it differs hugely from ‘polite’ British sensibilities — being more direct in their communication.

Alex, who used to work for Apple, says people at his job refer to everyone by their surname, and it is unusual to become friends with your colleagues.

He also recalled one time when a friend who came to visit was yelled at by a stranger because he didn’t have a hand free to cover his nose and mouth when he sneezed.

He said of the culture shock: ‘It was a big adjustment, much bigger than I had expected.

‘English people have a reputation of being polite globally. German people are on the opposite side of that spectrum. It is a very different culture.

‘In the UK we just mind our business, you wouldn’t approach someone to call them out, partly because I am from London and you might get stabbed.

‘We see things in a different light. It is a big culture shock. Some people I know can’t manage it. I have friends who have moved here from the UK and can’t handle it.’

However, though he misses the food in London, Alex seems to have decided that the benefits to moving to Germany far outweigh the negatives.

Many other Brits are making similar moves. Despite it now being far trickier to relocate to other countries in Europe following the end of free movement after Brexit, people are still seeking a move abroad.

Total UK emigration numbers jumped by more than 6% in 2025 according to the Office for National Statistics, with 252,000 citizens leaving the UK and only 143,000 people returning.

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