Living Cheaply in Berlin

One notices several things while living in Berlin: 1) a large number of baby carriages 2) on the U and S-Bahns, one very seldom sees well-dressed stiffs one frequently encounters in New York. Both 1) and 2) probably has a lot to do with the low cost of living in Berlin, which is probably the cheapest city in Western Europe, with a first rate public transportation, relatively low crime rates, and lot of green spaces to boot. Unemployment is also high and the city government is bankrupt, but fortunate for the American graduate student living here on a budget.
My delightful dinner of half a chicken and salad cost a mere 3 euros at a popular turkish place.

Low rents is also contributing to a thriving art and music scene, great cafe culture, and lots of fun boutiques (alas not so cheap).