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Written by Mark Neville

Here at Schumacher Cargo we’re all about helping others get out and experience the wealth of culture and geography the world has to offer. As such, living abroad is one of our favorite ways to immerse yourself in all the wonder this earth has to offer. And one of our favorite destinations is Italy. But just how much are you going to need to live there after you’ve made the move overseas to Italy from the States? Let’s explore the cost of living in this historic and diverse country

Housing:

Of course, the price you pay on housing will change depending on where you live. Cities and densely populated areas like Campania are going to be more expensive. In general, for people already living in Italy, about fifty percent of monthly salaries are spent on rent. On average, a 1-bedroom apartment in the city centre can cost anywhere from 350-600 Euros. Those prices lower as you move outside of the centre and will lower if you share with roommates.

Utilities:

Utilities are unfortunately one of the more increasingly expensive facets of living in Italy. Combined, your monthly price for water, gas, electricity, and heating could be around 180 Euros a month. Tack on another 20 Euros or so for your phone and internet.

Transportation:

Luckily transportation won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Train passes start at 1.50 Euros and only 35 Euros for a month pass. Gas is about 1.78 Euros per liter. It’s perfect for a moped, though that might get a little expensive if you plan on doing a lot of driving…which you shouldn’t.

Groceries:

As Italy is probably most renowned for their food, this is one area where you will probably try and dedicate as much of your budget as possible outside of traveling the countryside and visiting historic museums. The average single person spends about 40-50 Euros a week on food. What’s great is that, with the market food being so fresh, you’ll be able to experience fantastic Italian cuisine without having to shell out the big bucks at restaurants.

There you have it! With these costs in mind, you can start preparing for your Italian adventure.

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Written by Alex Bach

Spain has long been one of the more popular destinations to study abroad for U.S. students. This is likely due to the popularity of the language as well as the beauty and intrigue of the historic and cultured country.

But just because you want to study there doesn’t mean that every university is the right fit for you. Here are the best schools for U.S. students to study in Spain.

Prepping your visa and brushing up on your Spanish will take some time, so why not let Schumacher Cargo handle all your moving needs? We’ve helped hundreds of families and students make international moves and can get your belongings to and from Spain without hassle.

Top 4 Universities for U.S. Students in Spain

SLU Madrid:

Saint Louis University is a great option for American students trying to study abroad in Spain. Not only is the University a reputable American based university ranking in the top 100 universities, but the school also allows for a 4-year degree program. Here you have the privilege of studying in one of Europe’s greatest cities while attending an “American” university–meaning troubleshooting any problems that may arise will be much easier.

Marbella International University Cenre:

MIUC is located on Spain’s southern coast, in the beautiful Costa del Sol. As far as scenery goes you couldn’t ask for a more gorgeous and inspired place to study. What’s more, the school allows students to select whether they want to take courses taught in Spanish or English. This is a major perk for students who don’t want their studies impacted by their lower comfort with Spanish.

European University Barcelona:

Part of the European University schools situated across EU countries, this business school in Barcelona is a great opportunity for international students to study in a small, intimate classroom setting alongside other international students. The fact that it’s located in the famous Bonanova neighborhood doesn’t hurt either!

The Instituto de Empresa School of Arts and Humanities:

For a well-rounded education located just outside the major city of Madrid you can do no better that the IE School of Arts and Humanities. The school prides itself on providing a balanced, liberal arts education to both undergrad and graduate students. And, again, you’re only 20 minutes away from the bustle of Madrid.

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Written by Alex Bach

Living abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences of any lifetime. But depending where you go, it is not always the most inexpensive experience especially if that place happens to be Hong Kong. We’ll go over the cost of living in Hong Kong, what you can expect when you get there and what you’ll need to stay.

To get your belongings there, we can make moving to Hong Kong one of the lesser stresses you’ll have to worry about. We’ve helped hundreds of families make international moves and can help get your possessions to to your new home without a hitch.

Rent and Housing:

Hong Kong is the most vertical city in the world, resulting from the relatively tight space of the city, forcing construction to build up instead of out. As a result, the price of property in Hong Kong is not cheap. Whether you’re renting or buying, you will likely be paying more for lodging than you did back in the States. The average rent for an unfurnished apartment in the city is anywhere from $3,600 to $5k!

Utilities:

Utilities are fairly expensive as well in Hong Kong. You can expect your water bill to be around $50, your gas bill somewhere near $25 and your electricity bill ( the big one) to rest between $130 and $200. Meaning an additional $300 per month on top of the rent.

Lifestyle Costs:

Luckily many of your grocery items and restaurant dishes are going to be relatively the same as you’d find in any major city in America. Fresh baked bread goes for about $5, eggs for around $2, coffee for about $8, local milk $3. Note: Hong Kong has several options for higher level foods, such as free range eggs and Australian milk, which are going to cost significantly more money than their base level counterparts.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is an expensive commodity in Hong Kong. You can expect to pay as much as $35 for a bottle of Tanqueray gin and up to $22 for a bottle of wine. Thankfully six packs of beer, like Heineken, are only about $6 per pack.

Restaurants and Entertainment:

Luckily the cost of having fun in Hong Kong is about the same as it is in New York or Chicago. Certainly not cheap to do every night, but it won’t break your bank to go out once or twice a week. A mid-level dinner for two can be found for under $100 though not including alcohol. And a concert or trip to the theater can range from $13 all the way to $130 for premium seats.

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Written by Alex Bach

When most college students think of where they’d like to study abroad, most think of exotic places like Italy, Spain, or Hong Kong: often overlooking one of the best places for U.S. students to study in the entire world: Germany. A linguistic cousin of America’s predominant English, Germany is more accessible than many of those other countries and offers some incredible and compelling scenery as well. Here are some of the best colleges for U.S. students to study at in Germany.

And if you need some help with the moving process, Schumacher Cargo is happy to assist. We’ve assisted hundreds of people over the years make their dreams of living overseas a reality and we can help you move to Germany with ease.

The 3 Best German Colleges for U.S. Students:

Humboldt University of Berlin:

With ten percent of the school’s enrollment consisting of international students, US students should feel comfortable in this prestigious university. Ranked 99th in the world, this is a great school for the scientifically minded: in both technology, green sciences, and quantitative economics. After all, what could be be better than researching (and even working) climate science in one of the greenest countries on the globe?!

Heidelberg University:

While many colleges in the U.S. try and imitate a castle-like campus–this one actually is a castle! Formed in 1386, Heidelberg is one of the oldest universities in all of Europe, and one of the most prestigious too. This is a great university for the abroad-dedicated student who truly wants to study someplace out of the ordinary. And you won’t be alone with over 20% of the classrooms filled with international students. Though you should brush up on your German before.

The Technische Universitaet Munchen:

The Technische Universitaet Munchen, or Technical University Munich, is the school to be at if your field of study is engineering. Consider this: Germany is renowned all over the world for its engineering, and this is Germany’s most prestigious school for it. The school is so strong in the field that it has partnerships with some of the best schools in America such as Cornell, MIT and Stanford. Imagine coming back to the US and hitting the job market with that under your belt!

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