Big 4 (Scotland) Vs Big 4 (Germany)

Hi,

I was waiting to see if you'd get any answers, but seeing how quiet it is, I might try to give you some thoughts on my experience of living and working in both the UK (7 years) and in Germany (6.5 years).

First off, I do not have any clue which is best for you career-wise. I don't work at a Big 4 and have only very few friends and family members who do, and most seem to like it where they are, and we don't talk much about work anyway. So, that's something where I cannot contribute even a tiny bit.

As for where to live, there are a few considerations to take (my apologies if you are already familiar with both countries, but in any case it could be useful to someone who isn't, so I hope this is somewhat useful to the community at least):

1. Language.-- unless you speak German, it will be very cumbersome (even in FFM, Munich or Berlin). Most young and educated people will speak some (or even very good) english. But in a lot of restaurants they might not, at the supermarket they definitely will not, in a bunch of stores they won't either, and navigating German administration and bureaucracy without being a highly fluent German speaker is a nightmare (or have a friend willing to tag along every time, which I did a on a few occasions when I wasn't sure my level would cut it).

2. Cost of living.-- Now, I never lived in Scotland, but I lived in Oxon, Cambs, Warcks, and Notts (granted all are in England and not Scotland), and rent is really quite cheap in Germany by comparison with the UK (unless you're talking stuff like Gloucestershire or Northern Scotland maybe). I had a very nice studio flat (35m2 + 7m2 terrace) for EUR510/month, inclusive of building management costs and utilities (called Warmmiete in Germany, or "warm rent"). And the location was amazing, I was on the 12th floor overlooking an amazing forest, and a 20mins train journey from downtown FFM. Food is very affordable too, and beer is, well, it's not expensive at all :D .

3. Compensation.-- GBP45K and EUR60K will work out to a net monthly of roughly GBP 2.9K and EUR 3K (assuming you're unmarried), so about the same figure. However, of course exchange rates and COL kick in, so that's for you to see. But in Germany (except for downtown Munich/FFM), you can have a decent place for EUR 1K a month by yourself, which in the UK fetch you a studio at best (talking of GBP 1K of course for comparison).

4. Culture.-- Actually, Germans are pretty friendly people, but super direct. Nothing against you, never mean anything by it, but they are no-nonsense and very direct. They never beat around the bush. Takes some getting used to, but at least you generally know where you stand. Younger people are the same as everywhere otherwise, just older folks I found to be... occasionally very set in their ways and inflexible. Now, Scotland I never lived in, but Brits in general are (I find) friendlier and more considerate (yes, there are tons of counter examples of course, we've all been to a drunken uni outing on a Saturday night, but by and large people are polite). Now, this is something I personally prefer, and the reason I am moving back there soon. But I very much enjoyed my time in Germany once I made a solid group of friends there and I go back regularly to visit.