dear student abroad...

My name is Thilo Querfurth, I was born in Wilhelmshaven, Germany and I am 21 years old.
I lived my whole life in the same city together with my parents and my sister.
After I finished the High school I decided for myself to study abroad. The decision was very easy for me, because I love to visit other countries and I like to make new experiences.

Because of one travel to England I thought it would be nice to study an English subject. My old school was an economics and business school and because I like these topics I planned to study also something like this.

Then I moved to Leeuwarden in the Netherlands and I studied IBMS (international business and management studies) at the Stenden Hogeschool. I was there for half a year and I am quite happy with my decision so far.

When I arrived in the Netherlands I had no culture shock at all. As a kid I used to travel a lot of times to the Netherlands so I was already familiar with this country. I also think that the Netherlands and Germany are not so different from each other.

I arrived here shortly before the Study Start Week started so I had not much time were I was by myself and where I could get confronted with new unknown situations. In the Start Week I already made several friends and if you have contact with other people it is quite difficult to realize the culture shock.

But I heard from other students having some problems to stay here in the Netherlands. For example one student from Cameron had no idea what to do or what to eat. He was not at the Starting Week so it was quite difficult for him to get used to this country or to get in touch with the other students. After I met him we took him to the city center to show him everything.

When I talked the last time to him he seemed to be more relaxed and already happy in the Netherlands.

So my conclusion is that for Germans or students from west Europe there is almost no culture shock, because of the similarities of the countries but for students from other continents it is quite hard to get used to the western world.
I would tell other people to study a semester abroad, because you get a lot of international competences. I got new friends and experiences. A semester abroad can help you to become adult and independent.

Does worrying about your finances keep you from doing a semester abroad? We collected prices in countries from all over the world to show you what you need when going abroad.
All the prices are indicated in $ and standardized for a better overview and comparability.
If you want to convert the prices into your currency, click here: Oanda Converter

Currency:
Brazilian Real (BRL)
1,00 BRL = $0,43

Rent:

For an apartment (one bedroom) in City Centre you will pay $550 a month
If you are o.k with living outside the city centre, $340 will be enough to pay an apartment with one bedroom

Food:

For vegetables and fruit you will mostly pay $2,00
Meat is relatively cheap in Brazil and will cost you $4,50
Cheese is available for around $7,00
Stuff like rice and bread will cost around $1,50

Party:

Partying is very popular in Brazil! You shouldn't miss the Brazil carnival where everyone is in a good mood and celebrates for days. For about $260 you can go partying for 4 days all day long, food and drinks are included.
The entry in a normal club varies around $6. Special offers charge you about $20,00 and include all drinks
You will get a local beer for around $2,00
Longdrinks will cost you $8,00
Bottles of alcohol in clubs are at a mid price range and available for $30,00

Shopping:

Dresses, in chain stores like Zara or H&M are at a price range around $60,00
Jeans (from Levi’s etc.) cost about $80,00
Shoes from famous labels like Nike vary around $130,00 but of course you can save some money if you don't care about the label

Free time:

A normal card for the cinema in Brazil will cost about $7,00
The monthly fee for a fitness club is about $50,00
A meal in an inexpensive restaurant or a chain like McDonalds will cost about $7,00

University costs:

The price for books you need in a semester obviously varies but mostly is around $400,00
Tuition fees: In general, federal and state universities in Brazil don’t charge tuition fees. International students pay a registration fee of $55,00. Private universities will always charge though. Prices there differ a lot depending on the university and the offered program

Currency:
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
1 CNY = $0,2

Rent:

Costs in student hostels are different depending on the university
For a single room with a small bathroom you will pay about $10,00 per night
A room for two people degustate between $5,00 - $7,00 per night
The rent in an own appartment is often cheaper so you should look for free rooms outside of the university. They are mostly priced at $70,00 for a small flat
Special fact: In most cases you have to pay the rent for 3-6 months in advance

Food:

It's difficult to tell something about general facts because the costs of food depend on where you live and where you buy it
Some staple foods like milk or eggs are usually more expensive than other edibles
In China you can get a whole menu from „Kentuckys“ for only $1,40 - so eating out is very cheap

Party:

Chinese students are very determined so they mostly do not party during the week
Karaoke is very popular in China and people spend a lot of time on weekends in clubs and bars singing some karaoke songs together
Every public holiday is very important for Chinese people and they celebrate it
For a domestic beer you have to pay about $0,70. Imported beer is more expensive and has a fee about $2,30

Shopping:

Primarily: Be careful what you buy in China because there will be a prohibitive tariff (duty) during your return trip!
China is a paradise of shopping for people who like it cheap and colorful
Real brand name clothing is not cheaper than in other countries

Freetime:

If you want to eat in a normal and inexpensive restaurant: Welcome! Most of the meals are very cheap
But be careful! In well-attended cities, restaurants try to lure tourists into a trap and bill more than you ordered

University costs

You should inform yourself at your home-university before your trip if there is a scholarship so that you don´t have to pay any costs to the university abroad
Education fees in China are expensive but it differs a lot in the different universities. An example: in Peking you have to pay about $1.750 for one semester

Currency:
Euro (€)
1 € = $1,4

Rent:

Accommodation is the biggest monthly expense for a student in Germany
You should calculate about $350 to $450 per month
Hall of residences for students are mostly cheaper than an apartment, but in most cases you can't choose who you live with. So perhaps you should better search for friendly room members in an own flat

Food:

You should definetly search for cheap discounters like „Lidl“, „Aldi“ oder „Netto“ to save money while shopping some groceries
Per month you will need approximately $350,00 - if you are careful with your money

Party:

Students in Germany like to party. You will see that you get a lot of options to go dancing or drinking
When you go to a club you often have to pay entry costs between $7 and $14
Because of the high prices for alcohol in pubs and clubs, students often meet before the party is starting to drink together: Pre-Drinking!

Shopping:

Costs for clothing can vary a lot. A pair of shoes for example has a price between $16,00 - $160,00 - the quality and brand decides!
You should be careful that you do not pay too much for clothes, as living in general is expensive enough. Our proposal: Not more than $85,00 in one month!

Freetime:

Universities in Germany offer a lot of extracurricular events like sports, party or meetings which are mostly free
If you want to register yourself for fitness you should plan with a budget of $35,00 each month

University costs:

Tuitition fees in Germany are disestablished!
When you pay for your „semester ticket“ (about $275,00) you have many ameneties and you are allowed to use public transport in your area for free

Currency:
Yen
1 Yen = $0,01

Rent:

Living in Japan is very expensive, Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world!
You should plan your housing early because the search for a small flat will due long time
The rent for a small appartment is between $550,00 and $965,00 in one month
Students should try to get hold of a room in a student´s hall of residences because they are much cheaper

Food:

Food also is pretty expensive. For example: For milk you have to pay more than $2,00
Students should look for smaller supermarktes for smaller prices
In an inexpensive restaurant you have to anticipate a price of $8,00 for one meal

Party:

Students should calculate with $275,00 each month when they like to go dancing in clubs
You have to pay $13,00 for a normal wine in a supermarket
Most „parties“ in smaller university-cities are official events like graduations and so you won´t have to pay much
In Tokyo you will pay between $28,00 and $70,00 for an entry in a club
You're lucky when you are a woman: In most cases you do not have to pay the full price!

Shopping:

Clothes in Japan are very expensive, especially if you like to buy brand-clothing
If you have the time you should search for small markets with it´s own clothing – it will be cheaper and more individual
For $4,00 you will get a pack Marlboro cigarettes – but be careful with your healthiness

Free time:

When you want to visit the cinema you have to pay more than $16,00 for your seat
Pay attention when you get in a taxi: the price for one kilometer is $3,00

University costs:

Japanese universities have high fees. The amount depends on the sort of the university: private and public charge different fees
The costs start at $5.160 and more for one semester
You often have to pass an acceptance test which could degustate to $137,00 and more

Currency:
Kenian Schilling (KES)

1 KES = $0,01

Rent:

Accomodation is the biggest monthly expense for a student

The rent for a room in the city center is round about $500,00

Outside the city center a room costs you $380,00 

Food:

Compared to the rent, food is very cheap

For a good lunch or dinner in a restaurant the normal price is $3.50

It´s cheaper to buy food in a supermarket, there you pay $0,50 for a coke and $1,05 for one kilo of potatoes 

In general you can say: Food in Kenya is very cheap and you can calculate $120 per month

Party:

If you go out you have to pay $1,90 for a domestic beer and $2,30 for an imported beer

All in all you can say: food, drinks and partying is very cheap in this african country

Shopping:

Go for a shopping trip in Kenya is cheap

Even with a low budget you can buy everything you want

A pair of jeans costs you §34,00 and for branded shoes you have to spend $54,00 

Free time:

In your free time you can do a lot of low budget things. For example: Driving with a one way ticket to any place you want costs you $0,50

You can also make expensive stuff like being member of a fitness club. The monthly fee is $70,00

For watching a movie in the cinema you have to pay $5,00

So if you choose the right things, you can use your free time without spending too much money

University costs:

Studying in Kenya is pretty expensive with costs higher than $1.000 a semester

Currency:
Euro (€)
1€ = $1,4

Rent:

For a room in the city center in the Netherlands, you should calculate $1.030 a month
Often, it's cheaper to rent a room outside the center. You will pay about $690 a month

Food:

The price for food depends on where you live and buy it, but in general you can say it´s expensive
Eating in a restaurant costs about $19,00
Buying food and drinks in a supermarket is cheaper, for a coke you have to pay $2,00 and for one kilo of potatos $1,90
You should calculate $250 per month for food

Party:

Going out in the Netherlands is very popular
It´s typical to go from one club or pub to antoher, so you don´t stay the whole night at one place
That´s why most clubs have no entrance or a cheap one
For a domestic beer you pay around $7,00 - For an imported $4,00
Special: In most areas in the Netherlands you are not allowed to get access to a club after 3 o´clock

Shopping:

Dutch people are very fashion-conscious
That´s why you get new trends there very early but it is expensive, a jeans costs you $120, nike shoes even the same

Free time:

In the Netherlands you can do a lot of stuff in your free time
But most times it is very expensive. For a cinema visit for example you have to spend about $12,50 or for a fitness club $52,50 a month
One way tickets cost about $2,50

University costs:

Studying in the Netherlands costs about $1.000 per semester. This includes books and tuition fees

Currency:

Dollar ($)

Rent:

Costs in student hostels are very different, depending on the university

For a room inside the city center you can calculate $800,00 per month

A room outside the city center costs you about $535,00 per month

Most times it's cheaper to look for a room early to save your money

Food:

Eating in an American restaurant will cost around $10, which is a pretty good price
Drinks like coke for example have a price of $2,00
In one month you will spend about $170 for food

Party:

American like to go out, so you have a lot of choices where to go to party
Prices for drinks are high though
For a domestic beer you have to pay $4,00
If you want to drink an imported beer you have to pay $5,00

Shopping:

Shopping in the United States of America is very cheap

Even if you have a small budget you can buy the new fashion

A jeans costs you $40,00 and new labels shoes are about $75,00

Free time:

In a lot of areas in America you have long distances between two places, so public transport is very popular and helpful
A one way ticket is very cheap at a price of $2,00
Being member of a fitness club costs you around $30,00 a month
A ticket to a movie in the cinema costs around $8,50

University costs:

Studying in the USA is very expensive. You can calculate studycosts of $12.500 per semester
It makes sense to look for a scholarship

Currency:
Turkish Lira (TRY)
1,00 TRY = 0,5 $

Rent:

An apartment with one bedroom in City Centre will cost you about $391 a month
Living outside of Centre is cheaper. You will pay about $244 for a single flat

Food:

Vegetables and fruit are really cheap in Turkey. You will get a kilo for about $0,70
Cheese and meat cost about $6,00
Rice, eggs, bread and other stuff like that is at a price range of $1,70

Party:

The entry for a club in Turkey is between $15 and $30, depending on the location of the club and its general price range (be careful, special clubs have entries up to $200)
A beer in a club is available for $3,50
Longdrinks cost around $10
Bottles of alcohol in clubs can cost up to $150

Shopping:

For a summer dress from a chain store $40,00
Jeans from Levi’s or similar brands cost about $60,00
Shoes from a sports brand like Nike will be about $70,00

Free time:

A visit in the cinema will cost about $7,50
The monthly fee for a fitness club is $50,00
A meal in inexpensive restaurants or a chain store like McDonalds will cost about $5,50

University costs:

The price of books you need for your university varies from semester to semester but usually is around $150,00
Tuition fees (courses taught in English offered for foreign students)

State universities $600,00 - $900,00
Foundation universities $500,00 - $600,00

Currency:
Australian Dollar (AUD)
1 A$ = $0,89

Rent:

When you want to live together with other students on the campus of your university you should calculate $60,00 to $230,00 per week
When you rent an appartment you will have a higher prices: $90,00 to $360,00 for one week

Food:

Especially fruits can be ordered for cheap prices because they don't have to be imported
In general you have to pay a lot of money for food. A good example: bread is available for a price of about $4,00
The average value a student needs in a week for food is $120,00

Party:

For 24 beer cans you have to pay $25,00 - $35,00
Any sort of spirits, students should anticipate with around $35,00
Instead of buying the expensive spirits you get the option to buy so called goons. This is a very cheap sort of wine in a tetra-pak

Shopping:

In most malls shopping is very cheap!
Brand clothing is often cheap in Australia because of the import from Asia

Freetime:

The public transport has costs amounting to $9,00 to $45,00 in one week. Perhaps you could think about buying a bike
For any sort of entertainment you should save between $45,00 to $90,00 for one week

University costs:

Students have the option to get a financial sponsorship
According to the university you have to pay between $6000 and $10.000 for one semester – but inform yourself about scholarships before
You can choose between 36 public and 2 private universities

Sources:

www.studium-downunder.de%2Fkosten-finanzierung-australien-neuseeland%2Fkosten-studiengebuehren%2F&h=3AQGCG5RI

www.studyinaustralia.gov.au%2Fglobal%2Flive-in-australia%2Fliving-costs&h=3AQGCG5RI

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Turkey

http://www.turkey-guide.de/türkei/party-türkei

http://studyinturkey.com/content/sub/living_costs.aspx

http://www.gostudyinturkey.com/admissions-and-visa/higher-education-fees

http://www.studieren-in-japan.de/33,1,unterbringung_und_lebenshaltungskosten.html

https://www.study-in.de/en/life/job-money/cost-of-living/

http://www.china9.de/essen-trinken/preise-lebenshaltungskosten-china.php
http://www.chinaseite.de/studium-china/studium-china-kosten.html