Life in Germany
Accommodation Guide
The most important step as your new life in Germany begins: finding the right home. Everything you need to know about halls of residence, shared flats and private rentals.
- Monthly warm rent range
- €350–900
- Kaution (deposit) amount
- 2–3 months
- Deadline for the Anmeldung
- 14 days
- Notice period to end a lease
- 3 months
Monthly warm rent range
Kaution (deposit) amount
Deadline for the Anmeldung
Notice period to end a lease
Where you can live
Students in Germany have three main options. Your budget, how social you want your home to be, and how early you can apply decide which one fits you.
Studentenwerk (Halls of residence)
Halls run by the student services organisation are the most popular option because they are budget-friendly. In return, the waiting lists can run for months.
- Apply the moment your university offer arrives — the wait is one to three semesters in most cities.
- Rent usually includes internet, water and heating (Warmmiete).
WG – Wohngemeinschaft (Shared flats)
A defining part of German student life. Ideal for meeting people and splitting costs; rooms are usually advertised on platforms such as WG-Gesucht.
The casting matters
Flatmates interview candidates — the “casting”. Be honest, describe your daily routine and show that you would fit in.
Private Rentals
Renting your own studio is the most flexible option and the most expensive one. Landlords usually ask newcomers for extra security.
Schufa-Auskunft
The record of your payment history in Germany. As a newcomer you have none, so a guarantor is requested instead.
Bürgschaft
The formal undertaking in which your family or a third party guarantees your rent.
Average Rents
Monthly warm rent (Warmmiete) ranges for a room in a shared flat or a single studio, by city.
- Munich
- €700 – €900
- Berlin
- €550 – €750
- Aachen
- €350 – €500
Key Legal Steps
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
The confirmation from your landlord that you live at that address. Without it you cannot register your residence.
Anmeldung (residence registration)
Within 14 days of moving in you must register your address at the local Bürgeramt. Your bank account and residence permit depend on it.
Before You Sign the Contract
Settle these four details with the landlord before you sign.
Kaltmiete or Warmmiete?
Does the rent include heating, water and service charges? Warmmiete normally covers them, Kaltmiete does not — and your monthly cost ends up above the advertised figure.
Kaution (deposit)
Usually two to three months of cold rent (Kaltmiete). The legal maximum is three months' Kaltmiete, and you are entitled to pay it in three instalments.
Furnishing
Flats in Germany are mostly rented without a kitchen. Check whether the listing says “Einbauküche” (fitted kitchen).
Notice period (Kündigungsfrist)
Ending a lease normally requires three months' written notice. A fixed-term contract may not allow an early exit at all.
The figures on this page are indicative
Life in Germany
Track the accommodation step in your journey
Your Dreemli journey lists the accommodation stage, the documents it needs and the dates that apply to your situation.