This depends on what you consider an upside. It also comes with the understanding that taking the "good" comes with the "bad". By and large, most people who had the choice voted with their feet and chose the West, sometimes at risk to life and limb. That being said, of course there were some aspects of life in the GDR that some people considered better than in the West.
There is a large literature about so-called "Ostalgie" (a portmanteau of German words for “East” and “nostalgia”) which is meant to refer to a sense of longing some former East Germans have for their now-defunct homeland. Many things, like Trabant cars, which were then symbols of the futility of the communist regime, are now considered collectors’ items by some.
Otherwise, there are other “things” that people in communist countries like the GDR had that they did not in capitalist countries like the FRG, which depending on your point of view, can be either good, bad, or indifferent. For example, in East Germany, abortion was perfectly legal, while in West Germany it was more heavily restricted. East Germans were guaranteed work and child care, so there was a sense of more sexual equality. But these are all trade-offs as well. You were guaranteed housing, but it was generally substandard as compared to the West.
Here are a couple of books that look at various aspects of the GDR that you might find interesting. Suffice it to say, it was not a black and white issue of the East being all bad and the West all good, but more shades of gray.
Related question:
I've seen photos and heard East Germans risking their lives to go to West Germany, but did any West Germans decide to go to the East, why, what was their motivation? And why isn't it publicized as much?
Social security was high. It wasn't possible to end up on the streets etc. If you were part of the poorest people (homeless etc.) in Western Germany it might as well have been easier to live in East Germany.
The whole Eastern Block had various economic problems (enviornmental damage, focus on heav industry, etc.), that were hard to solve under their economic and political model (top down command economy that was very resistent to reform) but the notion of poorness comes mostly from comparing middle-upper class of West Germany to the general bulk of East German population (with their much lower income inequality).
According to the 1985 CIA Fact book East German GDP/ Capita was 9270$ and West German GDP/ Capita was 10672$. So not that huge of a difference.
Pensions, especially for ladies.
(West) Germany's minimum guaranteed pension is one of the lowest in the EU, at 42% of average salary. Eastern Germans got relatively more, although on absolute terms I'm not sure it was more.
Related to this question - was there less income inequality in East Germany than West Germany (either by Gini or some other measurement)?