Essentials
- City
- Bremen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany
- Population
- 570,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 120 Mbps (Fiber available via SWB and Telekom)
- Currency & Banking
- 1 EUR ≈ 1.08 USD. Major banks: Sparkasse Bremen, Bremer Bank
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, high quality (Harz Mountains and local ground water)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/F sockets
- SIM Card
- Telekom, Vodafone, O2, Aldi Talk (approx. €15 for 10GB)
- Banking for Expats
- N26, Revolut, Deutsche Bank (Girocard still common)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Wunderflats, WG-Gesucht (shared flats)
- Cashless Friendly
- Moderately. Cards accepted in supermarkets/chains; cash preferred in small cafes/kiosks
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, Booking.com, Townside Hostel Bremen (apartments)
- Budget Accommodation
- Townside Hostel Bremen (Am Dobben 62, approx. €30/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Altstadt (Old Town) & Schnoor Quarter
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Das Viertel (Steintor/Ostertor) or Neustadt
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Eco-Work Bremen (Bornstraße 12, €20/day) or Weser-Work
- Best Cafe for Work
- YellowBird Coffee (Pappelstraße 79) or Harbour Coffee (Auf der Höfe 10)
- Networking Events
- Startup Bremen Meetups, Digital Media Women Bremen
- Social Events for Expats
- InterNations Bremen, Expats in Bremen Facebook Group
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- FREE NOW (Taxi), Uber (limited availability)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- WK-Bike (Nextbike), Voi, Tier (approx. €1.50 per 15 min)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Weserstrand (City beach) or Bremerhaven/Cuxhaven (North Sea, 1 hour away)
- Top Regional Airline
- Lufthansa CityLine
- Top International Airline
- Lufthansa, KLM, Turkish Airlines
- Highway Access
- A1 (Hamburg/Osnabrück) and A27 (Bremerhaven/Hannover)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Bremen Hauptbahnhof (Central Station)
- Public Transport Passes
- Deutschlandticket (€49/month for all regional transit)
- Regional Travel
- Metronom trains to Hamburg (1 hour), NordWestBahn to Oldenburg
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Klinikum Bremen-Mitte (St.-Jürgen-Str. 1)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Studio Bremen (Knochenhauerstraße 18), Oase am Weserpark
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- McFIT (Eduard-Schopf-Allee), FitX (Walsroder Str.)
- Laundry Services
- Eco-Express Waschsalon (Findorffstraße 18, €4 per load)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Lieferando, Wolt
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Knipp (local grain sausage) or Bremer Kluten
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Vengo (Ostertorsteinweg 91) or Vegefarm (Wulwesstraße 5)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Konditorei Knigge (Sögestraße 42)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- ALDI, LIDL, Penny, REWE City
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.de, Zalando, Otto
- Grocery Delivery
- Rewe Lieferservice, Flink, Picnic
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Das Viertel (Sielwall intersection)
- Local Brewery
- Beck's (Brewery Tour), Union Brauerei Bremen (Hollerstraße 6)
- Wine Bars
- Bremer Ratskeller (UNESCO Site with over 600 varieties)
- Street Food Stalls
- Markthalle Acht (Domshof 8-12)
- Popular International Cuisine
- L'Osteria (Pizza), Kimchi (Korean), Al-Dar (Syrian)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Bremer Stadtmusikanten (Town Musicians), St. Petri Dom
- Museums & Art Venues
- Kunsthalle Bremen, Universum Bremen (Science Center)
- Historical Sites
- UNESCO Town Hall and Roland Statue
- Religious Sites
- Bremen Cathedral (St. Petri Dom)
- Annual Events
- Freimarkt (October), Breminale (Summer), Christmas Market
- Cultural Districts
- Schnoor (medieval quarter), Das Viertel (Bohemian)
- Theater Venues
- Theater am Goetheplatz, Metropol Theater
- Local Markets
- Wochenmarkt Domshof (Monday-Saturday)
- Music Scene
- Modernes (Club/Live music), Sendesaal Bremen
- Street Art
- Viertel Murals and graffiti culture
- Cooking Classes
- Kochschule Bremen (Am Wall 116)
- Art Galleries
- Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum
- Historic Buildings
- Schütting (Chamber of Commerce), Böttcherstraße
- Local Heritage
- Hanseatic League history and the 'Key' emblem of the city
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Bürgerpark (Central Park), Blockland (Cycling)
- National Parks Nearby
- Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park (90 mins away)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Weser Cycle Path (Weserradweg)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Bremen Cathedral tower, Teerhof bridge
- Birdwatching Locations
- Werdersee and Borgfelder Wümmewiesen
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Designated BBQ spots at Werdersee (strict regulations apply)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- DHL, Hermes, DPD, UPS
- Tech Repair Services
- PC-Service Bremen, MediaMarkt/Saturn repair desk
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables at Brommy-Platz or Bürgerpark
- Language Classes
- Goethe-Institut Bremen, Volkshochschule (VHS) Bremen
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen (SuUB)
- Community Centers
- Kulturzentrum Lagerhaus (Viertel)
- Gaming Lounges
- Paradox Bremen (Board games/events)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Spielbank Bremen (Schlachtpforte 1)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €4,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €168,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €3,100 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €124,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €4,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €240,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,900 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €174,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €3,800 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €304,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,700 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €216,000)
- Corporate Tax
- Approx. 30% (Combined 15% Federal + Trade Tax/Solidarity)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 25% (plus solidarity surcharge)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income basis for residents
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 45% (above approx. €277,000)
- VAT
- 19% standard, 7% reduced (food, books)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, German Außensteuergesetz (AStG)
- Property Tax
- Yes, Grundsteuer based on assessed value
- Property Transaction Tax
- 5.0% (Grunderwerbsteuer in Bremen)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No, Germany has high tax burden; no specific nomad visa/tax break