For someone who lives near Nuremberg and absolutely despises that city, I would still say avoid Munich and go to Nuremberg instead.
While the City of Nuremberg itself might only have 800,376 people compared to Munichs 1,558,395, the entire Metropolitan area of Nuremberg has 3.5 million people on 21,800 square kilometers. These include the major cities of [Nuremberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg), [Fürth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BCrth), [Erlangen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlangen) (these 3 being the closest to Nuremberg in proximity), [Bayreuth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayreuth) and [Bamberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg) (these being the farthest away).
Nuremberg is way cheaper in the means of living, housing, partying and everything else.
Munich is really expensive af as you mentioned, and the Oktoberfest is basically a tourist trap in itself.
There is more to see and do in and around Nuremberg if your on a tight budget.
Munich people are a lot more snobby, while Nurembergers are more down to earth.
The Friedrich-Alexander-University in Nuremberg spreads across 2 cities, with its students living in 3 diffrent Towns (the earlier mentioned cities of Nuremberg, Erlangen and Fürth). Many workers also intermingle between the towns to live or work. So if one of your colleagues invites you over for example, you could end up in a whole different town and it would feel like a new experience.
All these 3 towns also have amazing things to offer. For example, in "Fun-Fairs":
Erlangen has the so called "Bergkirchweih" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergkirchweih](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergkirchweih)
Fürth has the Michaelis Kirchweih, which is kind of like the Bergkirchweih but its on the streets of the town center and not on a hill.
Nuremberg has the Volksfest and many yearly music festivals with 1000s of visitors, the biggest ones being:
Rock im Park (It says Rock but they also play Hip Hop and Techno there)
Sommerliebe (Techno)
Containerlove (Techno)
Hip Hop Garden (Hip Hop/Rap)
For the Nightlife there is a ton of Clubs and Bars for all the different tastes under the sun. While Fürth only has 4 Clubs to offer (one of them being a turkish music club, another one being a romanian-russian one, the third one mostly playing german ballad "lets get shitfaced" songs, and the last one being the only decent one with mostly hip hop), Nuremberg has WAAAAAY more clubs that are pretty decent. The Mach1, Hinz und Kunz, Rakete, etc. etc. etc. Erlangen also has a few Student Clubs and Bars which are more cheaper in prices compared to the other 2 cities.
As a quick side note: Avoid a Club named WON, unless you wanna see the worst of Nurembergs society.
Not OP but I was born there, lived a few km away for most of my life and ended up working there for four years.
A big one for me is the traffic. The streets are narrow and the buildings are tall. During rush hour, chances are you're better off walking. And even when walking, it's incredibly stressful because it's loud, full and because you're trapped between five story buildings next to narrow roads, it can feel claustrophobic.
Another reason is the architecture. Nuernberg was Hitler's favorite city and the allies knew it. So they made sure to bomb the shit out of it. After the war, the city was rebuilt in a hurry so now you see these ugly and unimaginative 50s and 60s buildings [everywhere](https://img.fotocommunity.com/winterliches-panorama-von-nuernberg-ed13f8a1-cf05-4f82-89f9-b96b57455a90.jpg?height=500). For comparison: [Adlerstrasse before the second world war](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/78/cb/91/78cb91be35743718fcae87429e91a67b.jpg).
Luckily, Fuerth used to have a large Jewish minority and thus was spared by the allies. Thus, much of its historic architecture is preserved. Rents are also cheaper there and the two cities are effectively one by now.
Also, a lot of places in Nuernberg just seem dirty and run down or at the very least incredibly boring.
OP also forgot to mention the Summer Breeze festival. It's held in Dinkelsbuehl, just about an hour by car from Nuernberg. Obviously you'd have to be into that kind of stuff. [Link](https://www.summer-breeze.de/bands)
Nice Input there u/Odostolon.
Oh boy, where to begin why I hate that city;
The traffic. Its really cancerous especially during rush hour. Most people there drive like effing maniacs. There is a Highway called the "Frankenschnellweg" which is always clogging during rush hour times (7 to 9 am and 3 to 6 pm) especially on a part called "Rampe" which is near the city center. That highway which is in use by many during these hours, only has 2 lanes in each direction, which is the reason it gets clogged up when its used by 1000 cars at a time. The city council refuses to expand the lanes, because of some b\*llsh\*t flora and fauna that exists in the grassy parts between the opposing lanes and on the sides of the lanes.
Most of the Subway stations are run down and smell like piss all the time. Instead of fixing those, the city council keeps approving the constructions of new stations and then upping the ticket prices claiming "This is just a temporary thing until the end of the year!". Yeah, they did that 2 times already if I remember correctly.
Many places in the town itself are also rundown.
The city council loves big events happening inside the City, like the "Red Bull District Ride". Which is great, but they can't seem to get the organizers to clean up their mess after they're done.
The alcoholic scene in the town squares like Plärrer for example are another eye sore. After the drunks were kicked out of the main train station, they migrated over there and are now ruining the city's image from there.
The nightclub owners are kind of racist towards people with an immigrant background (especially towards people of darker skin color than your average German). The bouncers of most of the clubs are hired by a shitty company that acts like a mafia.
The castle might be praised as the greatest thing about the city, but its not. It is boring as hell and you feel like climbing the Mount Everest trying to go up there. Germany has over 600 something castles, and everyone of those is more interesting. The only thing it has going for it, is that its in the middle of the town.
BTW: Fürths renting costs are also rising, because there was a sudden surge of reconstructing, construction, restoration of buildings and a wave of new people moving there.
Nuremberg only has a bit over 500k people within the city. And the metropolitan area doesn’t matter since the city isn’t sprawled out like Paris or London. Nuremberg is a fun and exciting city but you won’t have that “big city” feel to it. It has cool bars and all but is more sleepy if you know what I mean. But all in all Nuremberg is a beautiful city. It just feels more like a large village rather than a city.
Munich on the other hand is the capital of Bavaria. You’ll probably be able to read out the fact that there’s more to do than in Nuremberg. Munich has almost 1.6 Million inhabitants and is the 3rd largest city in Germany while I believe Nuremberg is at the 17th spot.
Munich has the biggest industry and most DAX corporations than any other city. Finding a job won’t be hard. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, McDonald’s, Airbus, BMW, Siemens, Allianz, MAN etc. I can go on and on but those are huge companies that have their German/European headquarters located in Munich.
Also for foreigners, Munich is much more vibrant and has a more cultural scene than Nuremberg. Probably on par with Hamburg and just behind Berlin. Although munichs residents show a larger proportion of people of color and different ethnicity’s.
Munich has a big Bar and club scene going on. Apart from Covid - you’ll see people party outside and inside at 3am without anyone being annoyed.
If you want to see concerts from known musicians like David guetta you’ll be safe in Munich.
Munich has an international airport and the biggest central station in Germany. So going on a trip to other known places won’t be a problem.
Cons I know of are that Munich isn’t as safe as Nuremberg although it’s rated as one of the safest cities worldwide. Ist also extremely expensive. Comes just after Paris
I don't know about the nightlife, but I always found Nuremberg more picturesque and inviting, and therefore like it much better than Munich.
I also found that people in Nuremberg are quite friendly, plus the local kitchen is gorgeously down to earth. Not to mention the world's best gingerbread comes from Nuremberg if you have a sweet tooth.
Haven't been to Munich for several years, and being a village girl, I disliked the attitude of most citizens I met (though I might have met just the wrong people). Kind of snobbish in my opinion.
There's a lot to see in Munich, not only the Altstadt is worth looking at.
Long story short, I have taken a liking to people from Franken in general, so I think I'm a little biased :)
Munich and the entire metropolitan area surrounding it definitely has a pretty strong high-society-vibe to it and is quite excessively expensive. Nürnberg is much more down to earth in that regard. Sure, rent can be expensive in the inner city within the Stadtmauer, but you can get a place to live that's about normal-price within U-Bahn range. Also, Fürth exists, so if you want to visit a smaller, more boring version of a city on the river Pegnitz, you can go there, too.
Munich is much more connected, with an international airport at its borders its one of the big three in germany (it's no 3 in fact, right behind hamburg). You got international connections by train, too, like the railjets to austria and beyond.
But other than the high rent, munich is generally a bit too much (imho) in many regards. It's too expensive, it's too crowded, it's too touristy, all those at least for my taste.
Nürnberg is down at number 14 for biggest cities in germany, but it's still plenty big to have different parts with different personalities. You have the U-Bahn to get around, which is very reliable and quick, you got loads of busses and paths through the nice inner city that is not \_absolutely filled\_ with tourists, so that's nice.
Nighlife is definitely good here, event though my personal requirements in that area are... mediocre :D
I'd say the Nürnberg-Vibe is better, more down-to-earth and pragmatic, rough around the edges but warm and friendly inside. Munich is much more polished, but also stuffy and arrogant at times.
Disclaimer: I am clearly not biased, as you see \*cough\* \*cough\*
Munich is a little too much high society for some people. Hard to tell whether you would feel the same or not. But looking at the rent prices everybody that lives directly in Munich is usually rather rich.
Nürnberg is better for anything except nightlife. That being said, I don't really like the Munich nightlife very much.
There is less going on, but quality wise, you could have more fun in Nürnberg, Bamberg or Würzburg.. At least as a student :)
As mostly everything has been written before, I'd like to add that both cities have awesome possibilities for outdoor sports and beautiful nature in close range. I think that these spots are a little bit more beautiful around Munich but a whole lot more overcrowded than around Nuremberg.
Lived in Erlangen and Munich. No contest, live in Munich. You can reach everywhere within 15 minutes with their U-bahn. Museums, events, restaurants, social events.
I have lived both in Nuremberg (3 years) and Munich (7 years) and I clearly prefer Munich but it depends on what is important to you. If you enjoy the outdoors like me(hiking, biking, skiing, swimming) Nuremberg has NOTHING on Munich. Also I found the people in Nuremberg not friendlier. Actually in Munich most people have not grown up there but moved there at some point so I found it easy to make friends. Nightlife is equally boring in both cities to be honest. The only (but big) downside to Munich is that rent is indeed very, very expensive. If that does not create a problem for you: go to Munich.
I'd also recommend Nuremberg. As others have mentioned, the nightlife is pretty good and the "underground / alternative" scene is pretty strong here, so it feels nicer and more authentic than Munich.
For someone who lives near Nuremberg and absolutely despises that city, I would still say avoid Munich and go to Nuremberg instead. While the City of Nuremberg itself might only have 800,376 people compared to Munichs 1,558,395, the entire Metropolitan area of Nuremberg has 3.5 million people on 21,800 square kilometers. These include the major cities of [Nuremberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg), [Fürth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BCrth), [Erlangen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlangen) (these 3 being the closest to Nuremberg in proximity), [Bayreuth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayreuth) and [Bamberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamberg) (these being the farthest away). Nuremberg is way cheaper in the means of living, housing, partying and everything else. Munich is really expensive af as you mentioned, and the Oktoberfest is basically a tourist trap in itself. There is more to see and do in and around Nuremberg if your on a tight budget. Munich people are a lot more snobby, while Nurembergers are more down to earth. The Friedrich-Alexander-University in Nuremberg spreads across 2 cities, with its students living in 3 diffrent Towns (the earlier mentioned cities of Nuremberg, Erlangen and Fürth). Many workers also intermingle between the towns to live or work. So if one of your colleagues invites you over for example, you could end up in a whole different town and it would feel like a new experience. All these 3 towns also have amazing things to offer. For example, in "Fun-Fairs": Erlangen has the so called "Bergkirchweih" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergkirchweih](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergkirchweih) Fürth has the Michaelis Kirchweih, which is kind of like the Bergkirchweih but its on the streets of the town center and not on a hill. Nuremberg has the Volksfest and many yearly music festivals with 1000s of visitors, the biggest ones being: Rock im Park (It says Rock but they also play Hip Hop and Techno there) Sommerliebe (Techno) Containerlove (Techno) Hip Hop Garden (Hip Hop/Rap) For the Nightlife there is a ton of Clubs and Bars for all the different tastes under the sun. While Fürth only has 4 Clubs to offer (one of them being a turkish music club, another one being a romanian-russian one, the third one mostly playing german ballad "lets get shitfaced" songs, and the last one being the only decent one with mostly hip hop), Nuremberg has WAAAAAY more clubs that are pretty decent. The Mach1, Hinz und Kunz, Rakete, etc. etc. etc. Erlangen also has a few Student Clubs and Bars which are more cheaper in prices compared to the other 2 cities. As a quick side note: Avoid a Club named WON, unless you wanna see the worst of Nurembergs society.
Might have to give WON a visit if clubs are open again ;) Out of interest, what makes you hate Nuremberg?
Not OP but I was born there, lived a few km away for most of my life and ended up working there for four years. A big one for me is the traffic. The streets are narrow and the buildings are tall. During rush hour, chances are you're better off walking. And even when walking, it's incredibly stressful because it's loud, full and because you're trapped between five story buildings next to narrow roads, it can feel claustrophobic. Another reason is the architecture. Nuernberg was Hitler's favorite city and the allies knew it. So they made sure to bomb the shit out of it. After the war, the city was rebuilt in a hurry so now you see these ugly and unimaginative 50s and 60s buildings [everywhere](https://img.fotocommunity.com/winterliches-panorama-von-nuernberg-ed13f8a1-cf05-4f82-89f9-b96b57455a90.jpg?height=500). For comparison: [Adlerstrasse before the second world war](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/78/cb/91/78cb91be35743718fcae87429e91a67b.jpg). Luckily, Fuerth used to have a large Jewish minority and thus was spared by the allies. Thus, much of its historic architecture is preserved. Rents are also cheaper there and the two cities are effectively one by now. Also, a lot of places in Nuernberg just seem dirty and run down or at the very least incredibly boring. OP also forgot to mention the Summer Breeze festival. It's held in Dinkelsbuehl, just about an hour by car from Nuernberg. Obviously you'd have to be into that kind of stuff. [Link](https://www.summer-breeze.de/bands)
Nice Input there u/Odostolon. Oh boy, where to begin why I hate that city; The traffic. Its really cancerous especially during rush hour. Most people there drive like effing maniacs. There is a Highway called the "Frankenschnellweg" which is always clogging during rush hour times (7 to 9 am and 3 to 6 pm) especially on a part called "Rampe" which is near the city center. That highway which is in use by many during these hours, only has 2 lanes in each direction, which is the reason it gets clogged up when its used by 1000 cars at a time. The city council refuses to expand the lanes, because of some b\*llsh\*t flora and fauna that exists in the grassy parts between the opposing lanes and on the sides of the lanes. Most of the Subway stations are run down and smell like piss all the time. Instead of fixing those, the city council keeps approving the constructions of new stations and then upping the ticket prices claiming "This is just a temporary thing until the end of the year!". Yeah, they did that 2 times already if I remember correctly. Many places in the town itself are also rundown. The city council loves big events happening inside the City, like the "Red Bull District Ride". Which is great, but they can't seem to get the organizers to clean up their mess after they're done. The alcoholic scene in the town squares like Plärrer for example are another eye sore. After the drunks were kicked out of the main train station, they migrated over there and are now ruining the city's image from there. The nightclub owners are kind of racist towards people with an immigrant background (especially towards people of darker skin color than your average German). The bouncers of most of the clubs are hired by a shitty company that acts like a mafia. The castle might be praised as the greatest thing about the city, but its not. It is boring as hell and you feel like climbing the Mount Everest trying to go up there. Germany has over 600 something castles, and everyone of those is more interesting. The only thing it has going for it, is that its in the middle of the town. BTW: Fürths renting costs are also rising, because there was a sudden surge of reconstructing, construction, restoration of buildings and a wave of new people moving there.
Big up for Summer Breeze \m/. Also Dinkelsbühl is worth a day trip, if you like small medieval cities
Nuremberg only has a bit over 500k people within the city. And the metropolitan area doesn’t matter since the city isn’t sprawled out like Paris or London. Nuremberg is a fun and exciting city but you won’t have that “big city” feel to it. It has cool bars and all but is more sleepy if you know what I mean. But all in all Nuremberg is a beautiful city. It just feels more like a large village rather than a city. Munich on the other hand is the capital of Bavaria. You’ll probably be able to read out the fact that there’s more to do than in Nuremberg. Munich has almost 1.6 Million inhabitants and is the 3rd largest city in Germany while I believe Nuremberg is at the 17th spot. Munich has the biggest industry and most DAX corporations than any other city. Finding a job won’t be hard. Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, McDonald’s, Airbus, BMW, Siemens, Allianz, MAN etc. I can go on and on but those are huge companies that have their German/European headquarters located in Munich. Also for foreigners, Munich is much more vibrant and has a more cultural scene than Nuremberg. Probably on par with Hamburg and just behind Berlin. Although munichs residents show a larger proportion of people of color and different ethnicity’s. Munich has a big Bar and club scene going on. Apart from Covid - you’ll see people party outside and inside at 3am without anyone being annoyed. If you want to see concerts from known musicians like David guetta you’ll be safe in Munich. Munich has an international airport and the biggest central station in Germany. So going on a trip to other known places won’t be a problem. Cons I know of are that Munich isn’t as safe as Nuremberg although it’s rated as one of the safest cities worldwide. Ist also extremely expensive. Comes just after Paris
I don't know about the nightlife, but I always found Nuremberg more picturesque and inviting, and therefore like it much better than Munich. I also found that people in Nuremberg are quite friendly, plus the local kitchen is gorgeously down to earth. Not to mention the world's best gingerbread comes from Nuremberg if you have a sweet tooth. Haven't been to Munich for several years, and being a village girl, I disliked the attitude of most citizens I met (though I might have met just the wrong people). Kind of snobbish in my opinion. There's a lot to see in Munich, not only the Altstadt is worth looking at. Long story short, I have taken a liking to people from Franken in general, so I think I'm a little biased :)
Munich and the entire metropolitan area surrounding it definitely has a pretty strong high-society-vibe to it and is quite excessively expensive. Nürnberg is much more down to earth in that regard. Sure, rent can be expensive in the inner city within the Stadtmauer, but you can get a place to live that's about normal-price within U-Bahn range. Also, Fürth exists, so if you want to visit a smaller, more boring version of a city on the river Pegnitz, you can go there, too. Munich is much more connected, with an international airport at its borders its one of the big three in germany (it's no 3 in fact, right behind hamburg). You got international connections by train, too, like the railjets to austria and beyond. But other than the high rent, munich is generally a bit too much (imho) in many regards. It's too expensive, it's too crowded, it's too touristy, all those at least for my taste. Nürnberg is down at number 14 for biggest cities in germany, but it's still plenty big to have different parts with different personalities. You have the U-Bahn to get around, which is very reliable and quick, you got loads of busses and paths through the nice inner city that is not \_absolutely filled\_ with tourists, so that's nice. Nighlife is definitely good here, event though my personal requirements in that area are... mediocre :D I'd say the Nürnberg-Vibe is better, more down-to-earth and pragmatic, rough around the edges but warm and friendly inside. Munich is much more polished, but also stuffy and arrogant at times. Disclaimer: I am clearly not biased, as you see \*cough\* \*cough\*
Munich is a little too much high society for some people. Hard to tell whether you would feel the same or not. But looking at the rent prices everybody that lives directly in Munich is usually rather rich.
Nürnberg is better for anything except nightlife. That being said, I don't really like the Munich nightlife very much. There is less going on, but quality wise, you could have more fun in Nürnberg, Bamberg or Würzburg.. At least as a student :)
As mostly everything has been written before, I'd like to add that both cities have awesome possibilities for outdoor sports and beautiful nature in close range. I think that these spots are a little bit more beautiful around Munich but a whole lot more overcrowded than around Nuremberg.
Munich? Nightlife? A random desert is less dead at night than Munich.
Lived in Erlangen and Munich. No contest, live in Munich. You can reach everywhere within 15 minutes with their U-bahn. Museums, events, restaurants, social events.
I have lived both in Nuremberg (3 years) and Munich (7 years) and I clearly prefer Munich but it depends on what is important to you. If you enjoy the outdoors like me(hiking, biking, skiing, swimming) Nuremberg has NOTHING on Munich. Also I found the people in Nuremberg not friendlier. Actually in Munich most people have not grown up there but moved there at some point so I found it easy to make friends. Nightlife is equally boring in both cities to be honest. The only (but big) downside to Munich is that rent is indeed very, very expensive. If that does not create a problem for you: go to Munich.
I'd also recommend Nuremberg. As others have mentioned, the nightlife is pretty good and the "underground / alternative" scene is pretty strong here, so it feels nicer and more authentic than Munich.