Essentials
- City
- Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Population
- 583,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 120 Mbps (Fiber widely available via Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone)
- Currency & Banking
- 1 EUR ≈ 1.09 USD. Major banks include Sparkasse Essen and Commerzbank.
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, high quality (sourced from the Ruhr River)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/F sockets
- SIM Card
- Telekom, Vodafone, O2 (Prepaid: ~€15 for 10GB at stores like Saturn on Limbecker Str.)
- Banking for Expats
- N26, Revolut, or Deutsche Bank (requires registration/Anmeldung)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Wunderflats for furnished monthly stays, Immobilienscout24 for long-term
- Cashless Friendly
- Improving: Cards accepted in chains/malls; small kiosks still prefer cash/Girocard
- Short Term Rentals
- The niu Cobbles (approx. €85/night), various Airbnbs in Rüttenscheid
- Budget Accommodation
- Gästehaus am See (approx. €45/night) or B&B Hotel Essen-City
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Stadtkern (City Center) for shopping/museums and proximity to the Main Station
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Rüttenscheid (Trendy bars, cafes like Rüttenscheider Str., and community vibe)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Birdwatching Locations
- Heisinger Aue nature reserve near the lake
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Designated BBQ pits in Grugapark (booking required)
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Grugapark (Botanical gardens, thermal baths, and vast green meadows)
- National Parks Nearby
- Hohe Mark Nature Park (30 mins North)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- RuhrtalRadweg (Ruhr Valley Cycle Path) running through Baldeneysee
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Korte-Klippe overlooking the Baldeneysee and the Ruhr valley
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- DHL/Deutsche Post (most reliable), Hermes, DPD
- Tech Repair Services
- Gravis (Apple Authorized) or various shops in Limbecker Platz mall
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables in Stadtgarten behind the Philharmonic Hall
- Language Classes
- VHS Essen (Volkshochschule) - highly affordable German courses
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Essen City Library (Gildenplatz) - quiet zones and free Wi-Fi
- Community Centers
- Unperfekthaus (Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 18) - creative space, cafe, and workspace
- Gaming Lounges
- Lost Levels (Bar/Retrogaming in nearby Cologne) or local internet cafes
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Spielbank Hohensyburg (approx. 25 mins drive away in Dortmund)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €3,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €128,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €88,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €3,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €180,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €2,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €120,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €2,900 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €232,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €1,900 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €152,000)
- Corporate Tax
- Approx. 30% (Combined Federal and Local Trade Tax)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 25% (plus solidarity surcharge)
- Tax System
- Resident-based taxation on worldwide income
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 45% (for income above ~€277,000)
- VAT
- 19% standard, 7% reduced (food/books)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, German AStG rules apply
- Property Tax
- Yes, 'Grundsteuer' paid quarterly to the city
- Property Transaction Tax
- 6.5% (Real Estate Transfer Tax in NRW)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific nomad visa; Freelancers can apply for a German Freelance Visa (Freiberufler)
Food and Drink
- Grocery Delivery
- REWE Liefer service, Flink, and Picnic
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Rüttenscheider Straße ('Rü') for bars; Frohnhausen for underground vibes
- Local Brewery
- Stauder Privatbrauerei (Visit the brewery in Essen-Katernberg)
- Wine Bars
- Fritzpatrick's Irish Pub or Weinpalette (Rüttenscheid)
- Street Food Stalls
- Katernberger Markt for diverse Turkish and German street eats
- Popular International Cuisine
- Tablo (Huyssenallee 5) - High-end Turkish Mediterranean
- Best Food Delivery App
- Lieferando (dominant) and Wolt
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Pfefferpotthast (Beef stew) or Currywurst at 'Bratwursthaus' (nearby Bochum variant)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Sattgrün (Theaterplatz 1) - Buffet style, high quality plant-based food
- Best Dessert Spots
- Eis Kasino (Rüttenscheider Str.) for artisanal gelato
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Limbecker Platz (Shopping Mall) and weekly fresh markets at Rüttenscheider Stern
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.de, Zalando (headquartered in Berlin), and Otto.de
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Museums & Art Venues
- Museum Folkwang (Goethestraße 1) - world-class art, free permanent collection
- Historical Sites
- Essen Minster (Essen Cathedral) housing the Golden Madonna
- Religious Sites
- Old Synagogue (Alte Synagoge) - cultural encounter center
- Annual Events
- Essen Light Festival (October) and the International Christmas Market
- Cultural Districts
- Margarethenhöhe (historic garden city district)
- Theater Venues
- Aalto-Theater (Opera) and Grillo-Theater
- Local Markets
- Rüttenscheider Markt (Wednesday/Saturday morning)
- Music Scene
- Zeche Carl (industrial venue for concerts and alternative parties)
- Street Art
- District of Holsterhausen has various sanctioned mural spots
- Cooking Classes
- Gusto Essen (Rüttenscheid) offers seasonal workshops
- Art Galleries
- Galerie Baier (Rüttenscheider Str. 11)
- Historic Buildings
- Villa Hügel (former residence of the Krupp family)
- Local Heritage
- Mining culture (Bergmannstradition) celebrated through 'Glück Auf' greetings
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Impact Hub Ruhr (Heinrich-Reisner-Platz 1, approx. €25/day pass)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Zodiac Coffee (Witteringstraße 41) - Laptop friendly with great outlets
- Networking Events
- Digital Campus Zollverein events and 'Gründergrillen' (Founder BBQs) for startups
- Social Events for Expats
- Internations Essen chapters and 'Neu in Essen' Facebook groups
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- FreeNow (Uber is present but FreeNow has more local taxi drivers)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Metropolradruhr (Nextbike) - €1 per 15 mins; Tier and Voi electric scooters
- Best Beach Nearby
- Seaside Beach Baldeney (Baldeneysee) - Sandy beach and cocktail bars inside city limits
- Top Regional Airline
- Eurowings (based at nearby Düsseldorf Airport DUS)
- Top International Airline
- Lufthansa (via Düsseldorf Airport, 20 mins by train)
- Highway Access
- Direct access to A1, A40 (Ruhrschnellweg), A42, and A52
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Essen Hauptbahnhof (Major ICE/IC stop connecting to Berlin, Cologne, and Amsterdam)
- Public Transport Passes
- Deutschlandticket (€49/month for all regional transit/buses/trams)
- Regional Travel
- RE and S-Bahn trains to Düsseldorf (25 min), Dortmund (20 min), and Duisburg (12 min)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Universitätsmedizin Essen (Hufelandstraße 55)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Loft Essen (Rüttenscheider Str. 31b, approx. €18 per drop-in)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- FitX (multiple locations like Berliner Platz, €24/month), McFIT
- Laundry Services
- Waschsalon SB (Kahrstraße 4) - Self-service laundry