Many Sri Lankan students worry that leaving home means leaving behind rice, curry and the flavours they grew up with. In reality, your first German kitchen can smell just like home, and learning to cook there becomes one of the best parts of student life.
The first week question every student asks
Almost every Sri Lankan student who lands in Germany asks the same thing during the first week. Where do I find proper rice, and where do I get chilli powder that actually tastes like chilli powder? It is a fair question, because food is comfort, and comfort matters a lot when you are far from your family.
The good news is that Germany is a far more international country than many people expect. Its university cities are full of students from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, so shops have learned to stock the ingredients these students want. You may need a few days to discover where everything is. However, once you know your local shops, you will be cooking your favourite dishes again sooner than you think.
Your everyday German supermarket
Start with the ordinary German supermarket, because it covers far more than bread and cheese. Discount chains such as Aldi, Lidl, Netto and Penny, together with larger supermarkets such as Rewe, Edeka and Kaufland, usually sell rice, lentils, onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, eggs, chicken, frozen fish, coconut milk and a basic spice shelf. In many cities, you will also find chickpeas, chillies and fresh coriander without much effort.
Prices change over time and from city to city, so it is wise to compare. Discount supermarkets are often the cheapest option for staples, and many students do one big weekly shop there. Most supermarkets also have an own brand line, which tends to cost less than the famous brands while doing the same job in your curry pot.
Asian shops will feel like a little piece of home
For the ingredients that make Sri Lankan food taste like Sri Lankan food, the Asian shop is your best friend. These are called Asia Shop or Asia Markt in German, and many cities have several of them. Some are small family shops near the main train station, while others are part of chains.
One example is Go Asia, which, according to its own website, has more than 60 stores in Germany in cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Dresden, Stuttgart, Göttingen and Freiburg. Shops like these usually carry large bags of rice, curry leaves, pandan leaves, spices in big packets, coconut products, papadam, dried fish and a long list of other Asian staples. The exact range depends on the store, so it is worth walking through the aisles on your first visit.
Many bigger cities also have Indian, Pakistani, Tamil and Afro Asian grocery shops. In these shops, students often find familiar items such as roasted curry powder, Maldive fish, jaggery, samba style rice and even snacks that remind them of home. Because the range varies a lot, ask other Sri Lankan students in your city where they shop. They will usually send you a location within minutes.
Cooking together turns strangers into friends
Food in Germany is not just about filling your stomach. It is one of the easiest ways to make friends, especially if you live in a shared flat or a student hall with a shared kitchen.
When you cook a pot of dhal or a chicken curry, the smell travels down the corridor, and people will come and ask what you are making. Offer them a plate, and you have started a friendship. Many international students hold regular dinners where everyone brings a dish from their own country. Your parippu, pol sambol or kiribath can become the dish everyone talks about.
German friends are often curious and very honest. Some will love the spice, while others will need a glass of water after the first bite, so keep a mild version ready. Over time, they will invite you to try their own home cooking too, from Sunday cake to a simple potato salad, and that exchange is part of what makes student life in Germany so rich.
Smart budget habits that students love
According to the 22nd Social Survey of students in Germany, a large national study shared by the German Student Union, students reported spending an average of about 198 euros a month on food in 2021. That figure is self reported, it is a few years old and prices have risen since then, so treat it only as a rough guide and plan your own budget with a margin.
Cooking at home is one of the simplest ways to keep that number under control. Here are a few habits Sri Lankan students often pick up quickly.
Cook in batches. A large pot of curry can cover several meals, and you can freeze portions in small containers for busy exam weeks.
Buy rice and spices in bulk. Big bags from an Asian shop often work out cheaper per kilo than small packets, as long as you have space to store them.
Look out for evening and weekly offers. Supermarkets publish weekly deals, and fresh items close to their best before date are often marked down near closing time.
Try food saving apps. Too Good To Go, for example, lets bakeries, cafés and shops sell surplus food in surprise bags, which the company describes as half price or less. What you get changes each time, so it is a fun gamble for an evening snack.
Discover foodsharing. The volunteer network foodsharing runs public shelves and fridges called Fairteiler in many cities. Anyone may bring food there or take it for free, and joining the platform costs nothing. Hygiene rules apply, so only take and share food that you would happily eat yourself.
Use the Mensa wisely. On busy days, the university canteen is often a good value lunch, which means you can save your home cooking for the evening.
Festivals and community remind you that you are not alone
Food also brings you closer to the Sri Lankan community already living in Germany. That community is larger than many students expect, and it has deep roots.
In Berlin, Das Buddhistische Haus in Frohnau is considered the oldest Buddhist house in Europe. Since 1957, it has been run as a Theravada vihara with monks from Sri Lanka, and its Vesak celebration is open to the public with puja, meditation, talks and a shared meal. For many Sri Lankan students, a visit there feels like a warm weekend back home.
In Hamm, in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple has grown from a small prayer room founded in 1989 into a large South Indian style temple. According to the city of Hamm, its history is closely linked to Tamils who came from Sri Lanka, and the city estimates that around 60,000 Sri Lankan Tamils live in Germany today. Its yearly temple festival draws visitors from across the country.
Beyond these places, many cities have Sri Lankan student groups and community associations that celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April with traditional food, games and music. If you search for one in your city after you arrive, you may soon be eating kavum and kokis with new friends thousands of kilometres from Colombo.
Your kitchen becomes your confidence
There is something special about the first time you cook a full rice and curry meal in your own German kitchen. You realise that you can manage on your own, and you feel proud of it. Cooking teaches you to plan, to budget and to look after yourself, which are exactly the skills that help you succeed in your studies too.
So yes, you will miss your mother’s cooking. However, you will also discover new favourites, share your food with friends from all over the world and build a life in Germany that still tastes a little like home.
Plan your study in Germany from Sri Lanka
Life in Germany starts with a good plan. These free Belfurt tools help you take the next step:
- Study in Germany Cost Calculator (LKR): estimate your blocked account, rent and monthly costs in rupees.
- Master’s Readiness Check: check your grades and profile for German master’s programmes.
- Visa Interview Simulator: practise typical German student visa interview questions.
Questions? Message Belfurt on WhatsApp at +94 77 056 9927 or use our contact page.
