Living in Munich
Prosperous and very livable, with big employers in automotive, engineering, insurance and tech, and the highest rents of Germany's big cities.
Example monthly budget in Munich: €2,079 for one employed adult in 50 m². Uses Q2 2026 asking cold rents plus planning allowances. Replace the assumptions with your own costs. Warm rent includes an assumed €3/m² for running costs and heating. Other costs use the same budget allowances in every city. Source: Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft auf Basis der VALUE Marktdatenbank.
Munich (München) is prosperous and easy to live in: good transport, the Alps within easy reach, and major employers in automotive, engineering, insurance and tech. The catch is rent, the highest among Germany's big cities, so plan your housing budget from real listings, not averages.
Neighbourhoods internationals look at
- Schwabing: classic and lively, near the university
- Maxvorstadt: universities, museums, very central
- Glockenbach and Isarvorstadt: central, cafés and restaurants
- Sendling and Westend: often better value, well connected
Getting started
- 1Budget realistically for rent. A room in a shared flat (WG) is a common way to start while you look.
- 2Do your Anmeldung, then health insurance and a bank account. Your tax ID follows by post.
- 3Get a Deutschlandticket or an MVV ticket for the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses.