LIVING IN GERMANY

Modest life, though not Frugal

The following applies as a rule of thumb: around 700 euro per month is required for a course of study in Germany, and this is on top of university tuition fees. The cost of living is relatively high in Germany – 700 euro allows a modest lifestyle and no more. The important aspect in any case is to maintain fixed costs, e.g. rent, as low as possible. Living in Germany is not cheap and an economically priced room, possibly in a student dormitory, can ease some of the financial strain. But modest does not necessarily mean austere.


Looking for a Place to stay

“Seek and ye shall find”. A true saying. The only problem is, you unfortunately can't tell “when” one will be successful. Looking for accommodation costs much in terms of time and temper. And so it's a good idea to do this well in time. You should preferably obtain information before travel, in order to obtain cheap accommodation. Living in Germany is expensive. A German ends up paying half of his wages towards rent. If you don't want to trust your luck, you can consider several possibilities in looking for accommodation.

Newspapers and Notice-boards

Offers of accommodation are available in local newspapers, usually in the Wednesday and weekend editions. You can also advertise that you're looking for a room. Classified newspapers specialise in advertisements. You could also find accommodation at your university. The “notice-boards” are usually crammed with offers of accommodation scrawled on bits of paper. For those who arrive in Germany alone, flat sharing in so-called “WGs” (Wohngemeinschaften), is a good way to get to meet people.

Shared-living Centers, University residences, Estate agents

Many university cities have shared-living centers (Mitwohnzentrale) which help you find accommodation for limited periods on a commission basis. University residences also provide accommodation. Anyone looking for a flat through an estate agent must bear one thing in mind: two months’ rent as advance is usually required. That is a lot of money and is not worthwhile, particularly for a short stay. But if you'd rather deal with an an estate agent, it's important to remember that the agent should be a member of the Ring of German Estate Agents (RDM).

Student Dormitories

The rooms here are indeed often very small, but on the other hand the cheapest available. Many dormitories now have bigger rooms and even offers for couples. The student services furnish addresses and information on the admission procedure for the student dormitories.


Summary of the social survey carried out by the German NUS
www.studentenwerk.de/...