Living in Germany
Cost-of-living calculator
Your real monthly budget — housing type, household, insurance status and the costs newcomers forget — for 22 German cities.
Your month in Berlin
Rent (warm) Studio / 1-bedroom in Berlin — typical, incl. heating | €1.150 |
Utilities & electricity Electricity, water top-ups | €130 |
Groceries 1 adult | €300 |
Health insurance Employed (paid via payroll) | €0 |
Public transport Deutschlandticket × 1 | €58 |
Phone & internet Home internet + mobile plans | €55 |
Broadcasting fee Rundfunkbeitrag — one per household, mandatory | €18 |
Leisure & everything else Normal — eating out, sport, clothes, buffers | €250 |
Orientation estimates for 2025/26 — rents especially vary by neighbourhood and timing. Employees: public health insurance is deducted from your salary, so it shows as €0 here — see the salary calculator for your real net pay.
The same life in other cities
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to live in Germany per month?
A single person typically needs €1,300–2,400 per month depending on the city and housing: a WG room in Leipzig is a very different budget from a 1-bedroom flat in Munich. Rent is the biggest variable — most other costs (groceries ~€300, Deutschlandticket €58, broadcasting fee €18.36 per household) are similar across Germany.
What costs do newcomers to Germany usually forget?
The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag, €18.36 per household — mandatory even if you never watch TV), liability insurance, the deposit (Kaution, up to 3 months' cold rent), and initial furnishing — German flats are often rented without a kitchen.
Is health insurance included in these living costs?
If you're employed, public health insurance is deducted from your salary before it reaches your account, so it doesn't appear as a monthly bill. Students pay roughly €125/month at the public student rate; freelancers and the self-insured pay from about €230/month.
How much is rent in Germany?
As orientation for a city-centre-ish 1-bedroom flat: Munich ~€1,450, Berlin ~€1,150, Cologne ~€1,050, Leipzig ~€750 warm per month. A WG (shared flat) room is roughly 40–50% of that, which is why most students and many newcomers start in a WG.
Planning your income side too? Check your net pay with the salary calculator and explore city guides & housing.