Living in Germany
Cost-of-living calculator
Build a monthly budget for 34 German cities. Use the published rent reference as a starting point, then enter your own rent and household bills.
€63 is the public 2026 price. Jobtickets and student tickets can cost less. Check DB's current terms.
Enter your own monthly costs
Leave a field empty to use the allowance above. Enter 0 when a cost is included in rent or already paid elsewhere.
Your month in Berlin
Rent (warm) 50 m² × asking cold-rent reference + €3/m² running-cost allowance; Q2 2026 | €915 |
Electricity Editable allowance; heating and running costs are already in model warm rent | €60 |
Groceries 1 adult | €300 |
Health & care insurance Employed (paid via payroll); replace with the actual household bill | €0 |
Public transport Deutschlandticket × 1; 2026 public price, editable | €63 |
Phone & internet Editable allowance for home internet and mobile plans | €55 |
Broadcasting fee €18.36 per dwelling; adjust for a WG share, exemption or reduction | €18 |
Leisure & everything else Normal: editable allowance for eating out, sport, clothes and a buffer | €250 |
Rent references: Q2 2026, checked 2026-10-10. A citywide asking cold rent is multiplied by the example area, then €3/m² is added for running costs and heating. It is not a quote for a particular flat or WG. Electricity, food, phone and leisure are editable planning allowances. Employees: insurance deducted through payroll appears as €0 here. See the salary calculator for estimated net pay. Deposits, moving costs and emergencies need a separate buffer.
Sources: Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft auf Basis der VALUE Marktdatenbank. Broadcasting fee. TK student and self-employed examples include care insurance. Self-employed contributions increase with income; family insurance and eligibility can change the household total.
Compare city rent references
Only cities with GREIX observations are ranked. All other costs stay fixed; this does not compare local childcare fees.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in Germany per month?
Start with an actual warm-rent offer and your household bills. This calculator uses an example floor area, Q2 2026 asking cold rents and a €3/m² allowance for running costs and heating. Groceries, electricity, phone and leisure are planning inputs you can change. The public Deutschlandticket costs €63/month in 2026; the broadcasting fee is €18.36 per dwelling, with exemptions and reductions in some cases.
What costs do newcomers to Germany usually forget?
Set aside money for the deposit, moving, furnishing and any kitchen you need to buy. The deposit for a residential tenancy can be up to three months' cold rent. Allow for liability insurance and a buffer for annual electricity or heating adjustments. The €18.36 broadcasting fee applies per dwelling; a WG normally shares one fee.
Is health insurance included in these living costs?
The employed preset assumes statutory health and care insurance is already deducted through payroll. The student preset is a TK example: €146.29/month for a childless student aged 23 or older in 2026. The self-employed preset is TK's €283.31 minimum including care insurance for a childless person aged 23 or older with sick-pay entitlement. Contributions rise with income. Eligibility, insurer, age and family insurance change the amount; enter your actual household bill.
How much is rent in Germany?
GREIX reports average asking cold rents per square metre for regular apartment listings. In Q2 2026 these were €23.66 in Munich, €15.29 in Berlin and €10.45 in Leipzig. They exclude running costs and heating, and do not describe a particular flat, central neighbourhood or WG room. For seven cities without observations in this dataset, the calculator clearly labels a GREIX overall reference of €14.29/m² as a fallback.
Planning your income side too? Check your net pay with the salary calculator and explore city guides & housing. For the contracts behind these budget lines — SIM, bank account, liability insurance — compare newcomer essentials.
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