I left the U.S. for Europe and now spend only $1,906/month—while raising 3 kids. Here's why I'm never moving back

My life looks completely different today than it did 15 years ago, when I was 19 years old and pregnant with my first child. Without a stable job, I struggled to keep up with living expenses.

But I wanted to give my son the best life possible. So, I pawned my possessions and put down a rental deposit, started waitressing part-time, and took out loans to enroll in online classes. 

Now, at 34, I've got a solid grip on my finances. I'm an adjunct professor, content creator, and happy mother of three kids — a 13-year-old, 2-year-old and 18-month-old.

But the biggest change is that I moved from Canyon, Texas to Munich, Germany. Here's how my family and I are living the dream life, and why we're actually able to save more money:

I could barely afford the American dream

I earned my bachelor's, master's and PhD in communications in five years. As a student, I worked full-time as an instructor, but I never made more than $1,500 a month.

It wasn't enough to cover housing and daycare costs, so I took on credit card debt. I often skipped meals and pulled all-nighters. Some semesters were so packed that I had to drop my son off at daycare at 5:30 a.m.

When I was 24, I got a job as an assistant professor of business communications and management. I was making $65,000 a year, and people pointed at me as an example of the American dream.

But I was in debt and living paycheck to paycheck. I knew things needed to change.

Building a new life in Germany

In 2018, my university paid for me to attend a conference in the Czech Republic. I used it as an opportunity to travel around Europe and explore a potential life abroad.

On the streets of Prague, I met my husband, who was visiting from Germany. He walked up to me and asked for tourist hotspot recommendations. We immediately hit it off, and eventually began a long distance relationship.

We got married in 2019. I quit my job, sold everything that wouldn't fit into my two suitcases, and bought two one-way tickets to Munich.

As the spouse of a German citizen, my son and I were able to move to Germany before applying for a visa, which we received three months after I applied. Since then, our family has grown by two children.

How much we spend in Germany

As high-earning taxpayers, my husband (who is an engineer) and I happily contribute about 35% of our income to the German social system.

With Germany's statutory health insurance, we make our monthly, income-based contribution to the system, which then covers most of our medical bills.

And, like all German residents, we receive money to help cover child-related expenses. Our family gets $822 every month for all three kids.

Since the public transportation system here is so efficient, we don't have car-related expenses. Food prices are also significantly cheaper.

Here's a breakdown of our monthly budget:

• Three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment rent (including utilities): $2,052
• Full-time daycare for two kids: $98.75
• Groceries: $400
• Public transportation: $107.53
• Cell phone plan: $37.79
• Internet: $32.91

Total: $2,728.98

After factoring in the $822 we receive to cover childcare costs, we spend about $1,906 a month — or just $62 a day.

Even with three kids and higher housing costs, I'm saving more money than ever. In the U.S., I spent about $500 on health insurance and medical bills, $500 on groceries, $600 on car expenses, and about $250 on daycare (for one child) a month.

With the money we save, we splurge on family vacations. The minimum vacation allowance in Germany is 20 days a year, but my husband and I get at least 30 days through our jobs. This year, we visited Turkey, Spain and Austria.

Any money that we have left goes into saving up for our first house.

The benefits of raising kids in Germany

In Germany, my kids won't have to worry about the same things I did growing up.

They don't have to worry about the cost of college, since tuition is free at public universities. They don't have to endure active shooter drills in school, since gun crime rates are much lower. Most importantly, we have better healthcare rights.

Living abroad has allowed me to provide for my family in ways that would have never been possible in the U.S., even after achieving the highest level of education.

Alison Opalko-Berry is a Kansas-born academic researcher, author and professor. She now lives in Munich, Germany with her husband and three children. Follow Aly on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

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