Two years ago, my husband and I (along with our two cats) moved from Massachusetts to Berlin for a chance to paint.
We were excited to live in a capital city for the first time, having previously resided in the suburbs around Boston. Although the German city was beautiful, we found it difficult to live there.
In February we left Berlin and moved about two hours south, to Dresden. This is one of the decisions we have made since we arrived in Germany.
Here are some things they gave us from Berlin, as well as some tactics Dresden talked us into.
Berlin is known to be fairly affordable, especially compared with other European capitals like Paris or Amsterdam.
However, in recent years it has been one of the most expensive cities for renters in Germany due to rising housing prices.
Many plans to build more housing have been put on hold as tenants struggle to get apartments: the German capital had an empty rate of less than 1% in 2023.
We had much better luck finding accommodation in Dresden, probably because it is a smaller city. Rental costs are also higher for us.
Berlin is one of the most visited cities in Europe, attracting millions of visitors each year. While we lived there, popular neighborhoods like Alexanderplatz and Museum Island seemed to be constantly filled with tourists.
During peak seasons, this led to overcrowded trains, buses and trams, as well as delays for regular commuters like us.
In comparison, Dresden attracts millions fewer visitors per year. We still receive some tourists (especially for their Christmas markets) although to a lesser extent.
Plus, since we can now afford to live in the city center, we can walk to most places and avoid crowded public transit and traffic congestion.
As nature lovers, we appreciate the green spaces and large parks in Berlin, but they don’t compare to what we have in Dresden.
More than part of our town is covered in green spaces and forests. We love the beautiful Elbe River, which runs through Dresden.
Plus, we’re only about an hour from the gorgeous Saxon Switzerland (Saxony) National Park — a trip there could take about three hours from Berlin.
We also have paved trails along the river for biking, as well as many lovely hiking trails.
The city also stands out for its architectural atmosphere. While Berlin has many impressive monuments, Dresden is also famous for its architecture and cultural attractions, such as the Zwinger Palace and the Saxon State Opera.
We especially enjoy walking through its Old City to admire the intricate and opulent buildings with lavish sculptures and terraced gardens.
Berlin’s nightlife is legendary and filled with variety, especially compared with what you might find in Dresden.
Techno clubs like Berghain and Sisyphos attract foreign crowds with their parties and long opening hours; some spend entire weekends without closing.
We’re not big club people, so we prefer Dresden’s laid-back bars and slightly quieter nightlife scene. Our smaller city has fewer clubs, and many of the ones we have feel more intimate.
Dresden is more affordable than Berlin and our nature and amazing architecture left us speechless.
Now we feel at home and we are happier living in such a city.
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