Anyone planning on moving to orstudying in Germanyneeds to know exactly how much it is going to cost to live there. Part of planning this exciting relocation will include calculating the average monthly cost, which will include such expenses as rent, utilities, food, transportation, and health insurance. The good news is that residents in Germany can enjoy a relatively low cost of living considering the standard of living in the country. This page will provide a comprehensive overview of how much it should cost to live in Germany (for both students and non-students) and how this compares between German cities and to the costs of other European countries. Despite the fact that it is one of the richest countries in the world,living expenses in Germany are not as high as you would expect; they are similar to those of other EU countries.Germany is ranked the 10th highest in terms of cost of living, making it cheaper to live in Germany than it is in the UK, Denmark, Norway, France, or the Netherlands. Life costs are one of the main concerns for anyone moving to a new country. Is Germany expensive? You may wonder. And the short answer is "no"! Check out our video to know the details about Germany's cost of living and some valuable money-saving tips. 💰 Generally speaking,Germany is not considered expensive, especially when compared to the average cost of living in Europe, although there are always exceptions to this, and what your budget must be will depend on where you are and your lifestyle requirements. Anyone looking for a self-contained apartment in the center of Munich will see their budget eaten up more quickly than someone looking to live in a flat-share in Berlin, for example. Making a few good decisions about where to live and how to cut everyday costs can make a big difference. If you can be flexible with your location and living situation, you should adjust this to match your budget (read on to find out more about these topics!). It would be hard to get by for less than €1,000 a month in Germany, and this rises to around €1,500€ - €2,000€ in the cities where rents are higher. Students can usually cover living costs for around €850a month. Travel is fairly affordable, even in big cities, andfood and drink pricesare average for Europe. An important topic for all people moving to German to consider is health insurance costs. You can find out more about medical costs on ourGerman Health Insurance pages. The average monthly living expenses in Germany (for non-students) is around €1,200, but there are many factors which can affect this, especially location. The general, rough costs of living in Germany per month for a single person are as follows: The cost of living in Germany for a couple who share accommodation is about 50% more than this. Good to remember is thatthose who plan on relocating to Germany will need to factor in more than just the monthly costs at first. To rent an apartment, you normally need to pay a deposit in advance plus two or three months’ cold rent (Kaltmiete), which is the base rent without utilities and extra bills. Make sure you also think of the additional costs when it comes to the actual relocation to Germany, such as rental administration fees, moving services, healthcare, and transport (getting there). Despite being the capital,Berlin is one of Germany’s cheapest cities. Rental prices vary massively, but as a rule of thumb, the west remains much more expensive than the east. You can rent a one-bed flat in Berlin for €00 upwards. Thanks to a multicultural population, it’s easy to find low-cost street food such as kebabs and the city’s famous Currywurst as well as open-air produce and street-food markets in Berlin. Munich has a much higher cost of living than Berlin. Despite its provincial feel and distance from the northern powerhouses, it has remained a city with a strong economy where rents and living costs are relatively high. You may find it hard in Munich to find a one-bed apartment for less than €1,000. Students moving to Munich should always try and secure student accommodation to keep costs down. It’s best to do this as far in advance as possible, as these spaces are high in demand. Cologne is not as expensive as Frankfurt or Munich, but it’s still pricier than Berlin, with one-bed flats starting at around €800. Cologne has a huge student population and like Berlin is home to a wide number of world-food restaurants which means that although rents are high, socializing and eating out can be cheap if you do your research. Hamburg is comparable to Colognewith slightly higher rental prices and living prices than Berlin. A one-bed flat will typically cost around €900per month. This is a popular city for students and young professionals, and the demand for flats and housing is high, like in Berlin. Frankfurt is certainly one of the more expensive cities to live in Germany, coming second only to Munich. A one-bed flat will cost you around €900per month. Luckily, there are a few ways to live in Frankfurt for less; enjoy after-work drinks at a farmers market rather than a bar, a cheaper option which is commonplace in Frankfurt. Berlin is the cheapest of the major cities. It is also thecapital andone of the most exciting places in Germany. It’s little wonder that it’s increasingly popular with those moving to the country. There are a few cities that are comparable to or even cheaper than Berlin, too, including Leipzig, Bochum, and Kiel where one-bed flats can, with some luck and searching, be found for around €500a month. Munich is typically thought of as the most expensive city in Germany, followed closely by Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Heidelberg. The most expensive factor of living in one of these cities is the rental prices. If you can find a house-share or a property on the outskirts of the city, you should be able to save a significant amount of money on living costs in these cities. Students can find out more about the price of accommodation in Germany on ourStudent Housingpage. Germany and Spain sit close together on the ‘Cost of Living in Europe’ rankings, with Spain being ever so slightly cheaper. The big cities in Spain such as Barcelona are certainly comparable to the big cities in Germany such as Berlin, where you find the accommodation and eating-out prices are pretty much in line with each other. Germany's living costs are slightly higher than those in Italy, but not by a huge amount. However, there is no minimum wage in Italy, so those looking for unskilled work may find it hard to cover living costs. Poland has a much cheaper cost of living compared with Germany. Here, you can easily find accommodation rates, even in major cities, for just €500 a month. Food, drink, going out, and bills are also low in cost. The minimum wage in Poland, however, is just around €4.20 (19.70 PLN) per working hour. Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe when it comes to costs of living. This means that choosing to move to Germany over Switzerland means you can get by on a much smaller budget. That being said, wages in Switzerland are much higher than almost anywhere else in Europe. Given that Austria has a smaller economy than Germany, you may be surprised to discover that residents actually have to pay a higher cost of living. Especially when comparing capital cities. The average rent for a one-bed flat in Vienna is €850, compared to €700 in Berlin. France is the eighth-most expensive country to live in in Europe, although the cost of living in France is sharply skewed by the cost of living in Paris. If you move to rural France, or even a small town or city that isn’t Paris, you will find most day-to-day prices are comparable to Germany’s. Germany has a slightly lower cost of living than the UK, although Berlin is much cheaper than London, which, like Paris, skews the country's average living costs. If you're choosing a country to study in, it’s certainly worth considering that tuition fees in the UK are almost £10,000 a year (€11,700) but an appealing zero in Germany. Sweden is the fourth-most expensive country to live in Europe, making it a much pricier choice than Germany. Having said that workers in Sweden enjoy relatively high wages and a progressive social benefits system. When you’re comparing the cost of living between different countries, it’s really important to take into consideration both the average salary and the minimum wage as well. A country with a low cost of living might seem appealing until you discover how low the wages are. Germany has an excellent ratio when it comes to the average wages and costs of living. Those looking to study should also always check the cost of tuition fees, which in Germany are almost non-existent. Sharing accommodation with others is much cheaper than renting your own apartment.Finding a single room in a house or flatcan see you save hundreds of euros a month. If you're planning on studying in Germany, the cheapest accommodation will almost always be student accommodation. Student rent is lower than the average at about €300 a month, even in some big cities. Find out more about the costs of living as an international studenton ourLiving Costs for a Student in Germany page. Students can get excellent discountsat all kinds of places including restaurants, cinemas, and clothes shops. Make sure you keep your student ID on you at all times to take advantage of this. Students under 27 can buy aBahnCard50card to get a discount on rail and some bus travel. You should also find a university that offers a free travel card as part of your semester fee, potentially saving you up to €100 a month. Find out more about the cost of getting around on ourTransportation Costs in Germany page. Germany is the world leader indiscount supermarkets, having been the birthplace of Lidl and Aldi. You’ll find these national favorites everywhere around the country in both major cities and small towns. Netto and Penny are other good, low-cost options. Find out more about the cost of shopping on ourFood and Groceries Costs in Germany page. Save on the cost of mobile phone contracts by getting a SIM-only deal and using internet-based messenger services such as WhatsApp to send texts. You will need reliable WiFi if you choose to go SIM only. Provided you take note of the above tips, choose a low-cost living location, and look into even more ways to save money, you can live in Germany for around €850a month, bringing your costs almost down to the level of a student budget.Costs of Living in Germany
Cost of Living in Germany
Is Germany expensive?
Good decisions about where to live
What is the cost of living in Germany?
What is the average cost of living in Germany?
How do the costs come together?
How much would it cost to move to Germany?
Additional costs
Living costs in the major German cities
Cost of living in Berlin
Cost of living in Munich
Cost of living in Cologne
Cost of living in Hamburg
Cost of living in Frankfurt am Main
Which is the cheapest city in Germany?
Which is the most expensive city in Germany?
Cost of living in Germany compared to other European countries
Cost of living in Spain vs. Germany
Cost of living in Italy vs. Germany
Cost of living in Poland vs. Germany
Cost of living in Switzerland vs. Germany
Cost of living in Austria vs. Germany
Cost of living in France vs. Germany
Cost of living in the UK vs. Germany
Cost of living in Germany vs. Sweden
Comparing different countries
Tips for saving money in Germany
Flat or house share
Student accommodation
Student discounts
Travel card
Find the discount supermarkets
Go SIM-only
What is the minimum cost of living in Germany?
FAQs
Costs of Living in Germany? ›
The cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable compared to other European countries. As a single person, you will need a minimum of €934 per month (around $1,018 US dollars) or €11,208 per year (around $12,217 US dollars) to cover your living expenses in Germany as of 2024.
Does Germany have a good cost of living? ›The cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable compared to other European countries. As a single person, you will need a minimum of €934 per month (around $1,018 US dollars) or €11,208 per year (around $12,217 US dollars) to cover your living expenses in Germany as of 2024.
Is 2500 euros a good salary in Germany? ›Single person middle class - net income between 1620 and 3039 Euro per month. If you have a family or if you are a single parent - add 0.5 for every family member above 14 and 0.3 for every family member below 14. 2500 Euros per month is a handsome amount to live in Germany. Anyone can survive with this much money.
How much money is enough to live in Germany? ›What is the cost of living in Germany? It would be hard to get by for less than €1,000 a month in Germany, and this rises to around €1,500€ - €2,000€ in the cities where rents are higher. Students can usually cover living costs for around €850 a month.
Is it cheaper to live in Germany or the USA? ›Taking into account such major categories as housing, food, and utilities, life in Germany is 13.5% cheaper than in the United States. The data used for this was compiled based on user feedback and price indices in October 2024.
How much is a house in Germany in US dollars? ›Cost in city center (sqft) | Cost outside of city center (sqft) | |
---|---|---|
Berlin² | 785.80 USD | 526.27 USD |
Dusseldorf³ | 647.35 USD | 530.11 USD |
Frankfurt² | 957.05 USD | 684.07 USD |
Hamburg³ | 840.87 USD | 541.69 USD |
The cost of living is lower in the United States than in Germany, and there are more opportunities to find work that suits your skillset. On the other hand, if you place a high value on stability and security, Germany may be the better choice. The country has a strong economy and a high quality of life.
What is an excellent salary in Germany? ›A salary between €64,000 and €70,000 gross a year is considered a good salary in Germany. For a single person, this means roughly €40,000 to €43,000 euros net a year or between €3,300 and €3,600 euros net a month.
What is the average income in Germany in US dollars? ›Germans earn USD 53 754 per year on average, more than the OECD average of USD 49 165. Another essential factor of employment quality is job security, in terms of expected loss of earnings when someone becomes unemployed.
What is the average rent in Germany? ›For instance, the average rent in Germany is €942 per month. However, when you search homes for rent in Berlin and Munich, expect an average rent of €1,745, whereas, in Frankfurt and Stuttgart, you'll find a lower average rent of €920 per month.
Which German city is the cheapest to live in? ›
- Halle (Saale)
- Magdeburg.
- Leipzig.
- Potsdam.
- Erfurt.
- Bielefeld.
Housing Costs in Germany
A one-bedroom apartment in the city center of the Bavarian capital ranges from USD$1,227-$1,500, while a three-bedroom rents for USD$2,201-$2,690.
In Germany, healthcare is partially free due to the social contributions to the public healthcare system. This means that individuals can receive medical services free of charge for the most part.
Is it a good idea to move to Germany? ›Due to its strict rules and regulations, the crime rate is low, making Germany a good place to live. The German government values the safety of its citizens and visitors. According to the Global Peace Index, Germany ranks 16th out of 163 countries for peaceful conditions of living.
What is the best city to live in Germany? ›- Berlin. Berlin is an obvious choice because it is the largest city in Germany. ...
- Munich. Munich is another great city for expats. ...
- Hamburg. Hamburg is an excellent option for internationals. ...
- Dusseldorf. ...
- Leipzig. ...
- Bremen. ...
- Aachen.
Fortunately, US citizens can enter Germany for 90 days without needing a visa – this gives you roughly 3 months to apply for roles, attend in-person interviews and land a job, after which you can apply for a Work Visa or EU Blue Card at your local immigration office in Germany.
Is living in Germany worth it? ›The quality of life in Germany is fantastic. Germans put a lot of emphasis on work-life balance, there's high job security, a robust social welfare system, and a very social society. But as any traveller knows, there is more to living in a country than what is seen on social media or written about by the local press.
How much is a gallon of milk in Germany? ›Restaurants | Edit |
---|---|
Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.44€ |
Markets | Edit |
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.95€ |
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 1.79€ |