Regarding the expense discussion, one can finally say that everyone has a different starting situation, different demands, different possibilities/income, and accordingly different expenses. As aero already wrote, one can easily spend 7000,- per month. I do not need a car as a status symbol, but with two children, one has different expenses than childless couples. If you also pay attention to quality in nutrition and clothing, quite a bit adds up quickly. Not to mention expensive hobbies... My then 4-year-old daughter also got a 400,- EUR bike because it weighs half as much as a Puky, and why should her bike be heavier than mine. Back to the topic: I also see here that the demands are very different. It is also clear that the deeper you deal with the subject, the faster the demands grow. Suddenly you want to have everything (I know that well) and quickly lose track of what you actually need. I would find a single-family house nice, but I want to live and not just reside. We are often on the go, even on weekends, meaning that we probably will not be sitting in the garden in nice weather. The fact is also that our current rented apartment is becoming too small, and a larger apartment or house would mean at least 2000,- cold rent. We are also considering the option of buying a 3-room apartment, renting it out (for old age), and renting a larger apartment or house. How the calculation will turn out after 15 or 20 years, nobody knows.