In which German metropolis (bar Berlin) would you rather want to live?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

There are four cities with more than one million citizens in Germany:

• Berlin (Berlin): 3,615,000 inh.
• Hamburg (Hamburg): 1,835,000 inh.
• Munich (Bavaria): 1,457,000 inh.
• Cologne (North Rhine-Westphalia): 1,081,000 inh.

Which one is your favorite?
(I excluded Berlin in order to avoid a lopsided result.)

[DavidB.]

Munich > Cologne > Hamburg. Hamburg seems particularly unattractive to me. Bargain bin Rotterdam with worse weather and probably a more cold mentality too.

Cologne should be fine but not all that different from a big Dutch city, Munich may be the best city with over a million people in the world to live in.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Munich > Cologne > Hamburg. Hamburg seems particularly unattractive to me. Cologne should be fine but not all that different from a big Dutch city, Munich may be the best city with over a million people in the world to live in.

Amsterdam reminds me very much of Hamburg. Those two cities bare a striking resemblance to each other.

[DavidB.]

Amsterdam reminds me very much of Hamburg. Those two cities bare a striking resemblance to each other.

Only because of the canals, I guess. But unlike the center of Amsterdam, the center of Hamburg seems to have been spoiled with modern architecture - not of the 00s variety but of the post-war variety. As a port city Hamburg seems much more comparable to Rotterdam to me (though I also see why people would compare it to Copenhagen). Never been to Hamburg, though, only passed it on the way to Denmark.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

#BerlinOrBust

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Only because of the canals, I guess. But unlike the center of Amsterdam, the center of Hamburg seems to have been spoiled with modern architecture - not of the 00s variety but of the post-war variety. As a port city Hamburg seems much more comparable to Rotterdam to me.

I was mainly referring to the "vibes" of either city, that left-leaning, green-liberal, Antifa character. But also the sound of the languages are very similar; Low German/Plattdeutsch and Dutch are related to each other, so that I can read and even understand a little Dutch.

(though I also see why people would compare it to Copenhagen). Never been to Hamburg, though, only passed it on the way to Denmark.

The accent of the Dutch and the Danish when they speak German are an uncanny carbon copy of one another. Here in Schleswig-Holstein, we have many workers and employees from Denmark, and so did the hospital where I used to work. There were two very friendly nurses with funny accents, both of whom I thought came from Denmark - until I found out that one of them was in fact Dutch.

[Santander]

Cologne for sure.

[Tender Branson]

1. München
2. Hamburg
3. Köln

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Which one has the most record stores and music venues that play my music?

[Ban my account ffs!]

Cologne for sure.

[Big Abraham]

Cologne followed by Hamburg. I'll take the northern German states over the southern ones any day of the week.

[DavidB.]

Which one has the most record stores and music venues that play my music?

Probably Hamburg...

I'll take the northern German states over the southern ones any day of the week.

Why on earth?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Which one has the most record stores and music venues that play my music?

I would say Hamburg.
The Beatles had performed in several clubs and recorded some songs in Hamburg in the early 60s before they became famous.
Here's a photo of the Indra music club, where they had their first performance outside England, on August 17, 1960:

[Big Abraham]

I'll take the northern German states over the southern ones any day of the week.

Why on earth?

Cultural similarities coupled with higher standard of living.

[DavidB.]

But also the sound of the languages are very similar; Low German/Plattdeutsch and Dutch are related to each other, so that I can read and even understand a little Dutch.

I'm sure this makes it easier for you guys People in the north, the east and on the eastern border of the Netherlands should have no problem with it either, but Dutch people who don't speak a Lower Saxon dialect may even have more difficulty understanding Low German or Plattdeutsch, as we are taught High German in school. I even recall not receiving a 10/10 but only a 9.5/10 on a German oral test because of my Austrian pronunciation of certain sounds that I picked up from my family there

Cultural similarities coupled with higher standard of living.

Living standards should be higher in the South.

[Big Abraham]

Cultural similarities coupled with higher standard of living.

Living standards should be higher in the South.

Not really. Hamburg and Bremen are the two biggest states by gross regional product per capita, and North Rhine-Westphalia has the largest economy overall.

[HillGoose]

Which one of those has the most financial business? I'm guessing Cologne?

If I was going to move to Germany it would be Frankfurt, but our of these I guess Cologne.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Cultural similarities coupled with higher standard of living.

Living standards should be higher in the South.

Not really. Hamburg and Bremen are the two biggest states by gross regional product per capita, and North Rhine-Westphalia has the largest economy overall.

I have to admit that David is correct. The South of Germany is much wealthier than the North. Hamburg is just an oasis surrounded by its indebted neighbors; it even has the highest millionaire density within the whole of Germany.
Cologne is rather a poor city. Düsseldorf, 28 miles north of Cologne, is by contrast one of the wealthiest cities within the European Union.
Bremen, which is also a German state (consisting of Bremen and Bremerhaven only) is so poor and so heavily indebted that I couldn't even survive without the Länderfinanzausgleich, which only three states (some years ago Hamburg used to do also) pay into:

[Tender Branson]

Cultural similarities coupled with higher standard of living.

Living standards should be higher in the South.

Not really. Hamburg and Bremen are the two biggest states by gross regional product per capita, and North Rhine-Westphalia has the largest economy overall.

Hamburg and Bremen also have a huge debt problem, a lot of people on welfare and in dependency, generally people who are on drugs or in bad health, Muslim and other imported cultural extremism and a life expectancy far below anything you can find in South Germany. GDP per capita isn't telling much, because it is created by almost 50% from people out of their commuter belt.

[Big Abraham]

I have to admit that David is correct. The South of Germany is much wealthier than the North. Hamburg is just an oasis surrounded by its indebted neighbors; it even has the highest millionaire density within the whole of Germany.
Cologne is rather a poor city. Düsseldorf, 28 miles north of Cologne, is by contrast one of the wealthiest cities within the European Union.
Bremen, which is also a German state (consisting of Bremen and Bremerhaven only) is so poor and so heavily indebted that I couldn't even survive without the Länderfinanzausgleich, which only three states (some years ago Hamburg used to do also) pay into:

Cologne is the fifth wealthiest city in Germany; Düsseldorf ranks only eighth. There are indeed several wealthy South German cities, the most prominent being Munich, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg, but the list of wealthiest German cities is otherwise dominated by northern cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Even when adjusting per capita, most of the larger wealthier cities are in the north, with Stuttgart and Munich again being really the only exceptions.

[Kingpoleon]

Cologne, because I’m not a terrible person.

[Tender Branson]

I have to admit that David is correct. The South of Germany is much wealthier than the North. Hamburg is just an oasis surrounded by its indebted neighbors; it even has the highest millionaire density within the whole of Germany.
Cologne is rather a poor city. Düsseldorf, 28 miles north of Cologne, is by contrast one of the wealthiest cities within the European Union.
Bremen, which is also a German state (consisting of Bremen and Bremerhaven only) is so poor and so heavily indebted that I couldn't even survive without the Länderfinanzausgleich, which only three states (some years ago Hamburg used to do also) pay into:

Cologne is the fifth wealthiest city in Germany; Düsseldorf ranks only eighth. There are indeed several wealthy South German cities, the most prominent being Munich, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg, but the list of wealthiest German cities is otherwise dominated by northern cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Even when adjusting per capita, most of the larger wealthier cities are in the north, with Stuttgart and Munich again being really the only exceptions.

You have no clue.

Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen are the most indebted cities in Germany. Bremen especially can be seen as Germany's Detroit in that matter. Do you realize that states like Bayern or BW or Hessen and most of their communities there have only a fraction of the debt of these cities ? And this with a significantly higher lifestyle and life expectancy, lower crime and the same level of economic power and much lower unemployment and welfare rates ?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Cologne is the fifth wealthiest city in Germany; Düsseldorf ranks only eighth. There are indeed several wealthy South German cities, the most prominent being Munich, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg, but the list of wealthiest German cities is otherwise dominated by northern cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Even when adjusting per capita, most of the larger wealthier cities are in the north, with Stuttgart and Munich again being really the only exceptions.

You mistake GDP for wealth. A high GDP doesn't necessarily need to translate into public and private wealth, as you can observe by reference to real-life facts.
If you ask a genuine German, they will always tell you that the North is poorer than the South. If you tell them that you perceive Düsseldorf as a poorer city than Cologne, you will be laughed out of court.

[Big Abraham]

I have to admit that David is correct. The South of Germany is much wealthier than the North. Hamburg is just an oasis surrounded by its indebted neighbors; it even has the highest millionaire density within the whole of Germany.
Cologne is rather a poor city. Düsseldorf, 28 miles north of Cologne, is by contrast one of the wealthiest cities within the European Union.
Bremen, which is also a German state (consisting of Bremen and Bremerhaven only) is so poor and so heavily indebted that I couldn't even survive without the Länderfinanzausgleich, which only three states (some years ago Hamburg used to do also) pay into:

Cologne is the fifth wealthiest city in Germany; Düsseldorf ranks only eighth. There are indeed several wealthy South German cities, the most prominent being Munich, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg, but the list of wealthiest German cities is otherwise dominated by northern cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Even when adjusting per capita, most of the larger wealthier cities are in the north, with Stuttgart and Munich again being really the only exceptions.

You have no clue.

Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen are the most indebted cities in Germany. Bremen especially can be seen as Germany's Detroit in that matter. Do you realize that states like Bayern or BW or Hessen and most of their communities there have only a fraction of the debt of these cities ? And this with a significantly higher lifestyle and life expectancy, lower crime and the same level of economic power and much lower unemployment and welfare rates ?

I've cited the relevant statistics whereas you have not, so I don't really think you get to be calling anyone out for having "no clue". Anyway, public debt really is not as big as a factor as you think. Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut all have the largest debts compared to the other U.S. states, despite having some of the highest incomes per capita. The states with the lowest debts are ones like North Dakota and Wyoming, which have nowhere near the income levels as the more debt-ridden states.

If you want to compare Human Development Index, Hamburg still comes out on top, and Bremen is tied for second place. Hamburg is also first for household income.

Cologne is the fifth wealthiest city in Germany; Düsseldorf ranks only eighth. There are indeed several wealthy South German cities, the most prominent being Munich, Stuttgart, and Nuremberg, but the list of wealthiest German cities is otherwise dominated by northern cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Hanover. Even when adjusting per capita, most of the larger wealthier cities are in the north, with Stuttgart and Munich again being really the only exceptions.

You mistake GDP for wealth. A high GDP doesn't necessarily need to translate into public and private wealth, as you can observe by reference to real-life facts.
If you ask a genuine German, they will always tell you that the North is poorer than the South. If you tell them that you perceive Düsseldorf as a poorer city than Cologne, you will be laughed out of court.

The overall wealth of a political entity is usually defined by GDP. When people talk about the "wealthiest countries", for instance, they're usually talking about the ones with the largest nominal GDP (i.e., the United States, China, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, etc.) But in my post I also said that even when you look into the GDP per capita, the larger cities tend to be in the North (Wolfsburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf). How else would you suggest measuring wealth, if not by nominal GDP or GDP per capita?

[Lechasseur]

Berlin would probably actually be my second to last choice out of the 4 metropolises lol, so no need to exclude Berlin for me lolol, wouldn't have voted for Berlin anyway.

Anyhow, assuming money weren't an issue, this would be my order:

1. Munich





2. Cologne






3. Berlin





4. Hamburg