Cost of living in Germany | Studies, food, rent and transport

1. Rent: How Much Rent Will I Have to Pay to Live in Germany?

Rent accounts for nearly a third of students' expenses. For students, there are several options for renting:

• university dormitory (Studentenwohnheim)
• regular apartment

For each option above, you can also choose to live alone or with others — what's called a "WG" (Wohngemeinschaft), a shared apartment. Generally, living in a shared apartment is cheaper than living alone, especially if you share in a university dormitory. Typically, the "warm rent" (Warmmiete) — that is, the rent including water, heating, and communal costs (trash, etc.) — is the rent listed for each apartment or shared room. However, electricity, internet, and TV license fees are not yet included.

Don't forget to carefully check what's included in the "warm rent" and what isn't before signing the contract with the landlord. Otherwise, you risk being overcharged without knowing it. Additionally, the security deposit (Kaution) is a guarantee paid by the tenant to the landlord, as stated in the rental contract. The deposit cannot exceed three months' net rent (Kaltmiete) and is paid to the landlord at the beginning of the rental to protect them against damage caused by the tenant. These damages include, for example, unpaid rent or damage to furniture, etc. Therefore, if no damage was caused during your tenancy, you'll get your full deposit back when you leave.

The average gross warm rent (Warmmiete) for a university dormitory is 291€ per month, according to the "Studentenwerk", which is responsible for university dormitories. For an apartment in Germany, people have to pay from 10€ to 20€ per square meter. However, rent in big cities is more expensive than in small towns. Housing prices in eastern Germany are also more affordable than in the west. In big cities like Stuttgart or Frankfurt, students have to pay around 500€ per month, in Munich the average rent is 800€ per month, while in Leipzig or Bochum, students only have to pay around 330€ for their monthly rent.

We strongly recommend contacting the "Studentenwerk" in your city to find out about current dormitory rent prices.

2. Semester Contribution: Administrative Fees for Your University

Average administrative fees range from 100€ to 400€ per semester. The cost of the semester contribution varies depending on your place of residence.

In Baden-Württemberg, non-European students have to pay tuition fees of 1,500€ per semester.

3. Transport: How Much Will I Have to Pay for Public Transport?

In general, public transport is included in the semester contribution. Students simply need to show their student card when using different modes of transport. But this always depends on the cost of the semester contribution. Some universities charge less, which means the transport cost isn't included.

Even if you don't need to pay for transport, it's necessary to check which zone and what type of train you can travel on without buying a ticket. For example, ICE travel isn't included in a semester ticket; and your semester ticket is only valid in the state where you study. Therefore, if you plan to travel around Germany, you'll need to buy a train or bus ticket.

In general, a single trip within your city costs about 2 to 3 euros in Germany. You can also buy a day ticket or a group ticket if you're with several friends.

4. Health Insurance

Student health insurance in Germany is about 105€ per month. There are different health insurance providers in Germany. If you want to know which type of health insurance in Germany is the right choice for you, you can find all the necessary information about health insurance for living in Germany as a student in this article.

5. Food

In terms of average income, food in Germany isn't very expensive. Many supermarkets often have interesting discounts so students can take advantage of these opportunities to buy food at good prices. A student tends to allocate between 150€ and 250€ per month, which doesn't include costs for bars, clubs, restaurants, and pubs.

In some big cities, you can also find food stores from your home country, such as Asian or Mexican shops. The price will be higher than in your home country, but it's still acceptable.

6. Optional Expenses Within Your Living Costs

6.1 Study Materials

The cost of purchasing study materials depends on your needs and your budget requirements. In Germany, most books and stationery are expensive. It's therefore more economical to borrow books or read at the university library.

6.2 Clothing

Different people have different clothing needs, which means monthly clothing expenses aren't fixed. You can wait for the two biggest sale periods of the year to buy clothing items: January and July.

6.3 Phone Costs

A student's phone bill in Germany is estimated at 10-40€/month, depending on the service chosen. There's a wide variety of plans to choose from. For example, call plans are categorized by minute ranges, from 50, 100, to 400. You can also buy cheap internet for 500MB, 1GB, or 3GB, etc. Telekom, Vodafone, and O2 are the most common providers in Germany.

6.4 Sports

The cost of playing a sport depends on your interest and your financial capacity.

For example, you need to pay around 130€ to register for an 8-session dance course, while a month of martial arts practice costs about 45€. A swimming session costs between 3 and 10€. The gym costs around 35€ per month, and students sometimes get an additional discount.

6.5 Travel

There are no fixed costs for traveling in Germany. For those on a small budget, there are many ways to choose what suits them best. For example, there are several ways to travel around Europe. If you can book your flight or train one or two months in advance, it can cost less. For a few years now, you can also take the bus, often cheaper but also slower and less comfortable. Carpooling can also be a solution, with its advantages and risks. There are also several accommodation options for students. Besides hotels, many students choose to stay in hostels where prices are lower and they have the chance to meet other young people from around the world.

Conclusion

According to BAföG (Federal Education and Training Assistance Act) 2022, the cost of living for students in Germany is approximately 934€ per month on average, regardless of the students' country of origin. Rent is always the biggest expense in this amount, while food and health insurance can be the next biggest monthly expenses. For most students, however, this cost of 934€ per month covers their living expenses and ensures a good quality of life in Germany.