15+ of The Best Places to Find Housing in Germany as a Foreigner - Life in Germany (2023)

FAQs

How do I find housing in Germany? ›

There are various websites you can search, immobilienscout24.de, immowelt.de and deutsche-wohnen.com being some of the more popular ones. Also keep an eye on social media sites as people often post rooms or apartments to rent there.

Finding an apartment in Germany is not easy, let alone if you are not German and can hardly speak the language — and two years of global pandemic haven't made things easier either.

Unlike in other countries, such as Denmark and Switzerland, there are no restrictions to foreigners to purchase real estate in Germany. Currently, many foreign purchasers acquire properties in large German cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.

There is ample evidence that buying a house leads to greater wealth, especially in Germany ¹. Those that own their own home in Germany are far better off.

All in all, Germany is a country where you can find both the fast city life or the quiet sub-urban experience, all from a position of safety, security and stability. In short, the country's safety, highly developed infrastructure and robust economy allow Germany to offer you a very stable reason to move to the country.

E.g. two bedrooms, living room and dining room. 2 1/2 ZKB = 2.5 rooms. The half room is usually a room that due to its small size cannot be counted as a full room. The term "Studio" is seldom used in German advertisements. More often you find 1 Zimmer Apartment or 1 Zimmer Wohnung.

Cold rent means that you pay basic rent for the residence and there are no extra costs included in your monthly payment. Warm rent means that your monthly payment includes the basic rent for the residence and additional costs - called Umlagen or Nebenkosten.

The average purchasing price of a house in Germany is around 320,000 EUR. On average, people spend about 354,000 EUR on buying a home. The average price per square meter for an apartment in Germany is 3,065 EUR in 2021 across the country.

How long does it take to buy a house in Germany? ›

Around six to 10 weeks after signing the purchase contract, you will receive a bill from your local tax office requesting payment of the property transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer). Once you have paid this, the notary will instruct the land registry to transfer the property ownership to you, making you the legal owner.

What is the price of housing in Germany? Purchasing a property is not nearly as common in Germany as it is in the US, France, or the UK. The average price for property in the city center of a German town or city is around €5,430 per square meter, rising to €6,995 per square meter in Berlin and €11,759 in Munich.

Good and stable investment

For self-living property, you can sell it without paying the 25% capital gain tax. If you sell your investment property after you own it for 10 years, you also do not have to pay the capital gain tax. This makes buying a house in Germany an attractive long term investment.

Yes, buying a house in Germany is possible for anyone, regardless of nationality. However, your residency status may affect your chances of getting a mortgage. The 'safer' your status the more likely it is. So having a permanent residency is better than having a temporary residency or Blue Card.

Cost of living in Berlin

Despite being the capital, Berlin is one of Germany's cheapest cities. Rental prices vary massively, but as a rule of thumb, the west remains much more expensive than the east. You can rent a one-bed flat in Berlin for €00 upwards.

A good annual average salary in Germany is between €64,000 to €81,000. This gross salary (salary before taxes or social contributions) depends on your profession, industry, and education.

It depends on where and how you want to live. With that income you pay almost zero tax. A room in a shared apartment will cost you anything between 250 Euros in a small town that is not so attractive to 500 Euros or even more in Munich. Food will set you back about 200 Euros.

Knowing a few phrases in German will make living in Germany a bit easier. In Hamburg, you can expect people to speak a basic level of English and you'll make it through your day to day life without speaking German.

There's no doubt that you can survive in Germany without knowing German. Every German usually studies English from the age of 5 and especially the younger generation watches British or American series.

Is AC illegal in Germany? ›

For non-administrative areas such as residential housing, the policies allow for air conditioning only in locations where the dry bulb temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer during the warmest six months of the year for 650 hours or more.

What is included in the rent in Germany? Your rental contract will set out exactly how much rent you are expected to pay. It will usually specify a payment date and a preferred method of payment. The most common way of paying your rent is by transferring it to your landlord's bank account.

The cost of buying a house is so expensive in Germany that a single, childless person earning an average income cannot afford to buy an average home in Germany. People earning an average wage will usually have to turn to more rural areas, like those in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

Electricity Price in Germany averaged 51.89 EUR/MWh from 2000 until 2022, reaching an all time high of 699.44 EUR/MWh in August of 2022 and a record low of -56.87 EUR/MWh in December of 2012. This page includes a chart with historical data for Germany Electricity Price.

Can I Move to Germany Without a Job? If you are a non-EU national, you cannot live in Germany longer than three months, unless you are working or studying. However, if you meet the requirements, you can apply for a job-seeker visa which allows you to stay in Germany for up to six months as you look for employment.

You can pay by bank transfer (in-branch or online), using your banking app, or setting up a direct debit. Nebenkosten are usually paid directly to the landlord. Do you pay for water in Germany? This depends on whether you are a tenant or a homeowner and under which contract type you are renting a property.

Whether you're looking for temporary housing in Berlin or buying a home in Frankfurt, you can find it on Immowelt. Immonet: Another good website for finding rental properties is Immonet. Here you can search for apartments, rooms, and houses to rent in all of the major German cities.

According to Statista, in 2021, the average gross annual salary in Germany was 47.700 euros a year, or 3.975 euros a month. The numbers above are for all of Germany. However, the average gross salary will depend greatly on your location, professional experience, education, size of the company, and gender.

You'll need the following required documents for renting in Germany as a foreigner: Your ID or passport. A Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung—a document to prove you don't owe previous landlords money. Your potential landlord might not ask for this but it's best to have it if possible.

Berlin is, of course, the number one place to find expats in Germany. For many, many years, Berlin has been home to international artists. But in recent years, the development of the tech industry has seen a growing number of expats move there.

Which city in Germany is best for foreigners? ›

1. Expats Love Berlin. Berlin is Germany's capital and the country's biggest city. It also has a large population of expatriates.

Car Prices In Germany

The average price of a new car in Germany is around 36.300 euros, while the average price of a used car in Germany is around 18.750 euros. But, of course, these numbers vary highly, depending on the car's make, model, and configuration.

Yes, all Germans and legal residents of Germany are entitled to free “medically necessary” public healthcare, which is funded by social security contributions. However, citizens must still have either state or private health insurance, covering at least hospital and outpatient medical treatment and pregnancy.

Income tax in Germany is progressive. Rates start at 14% and incrementally rise to 42%. A top rate of 45% is also present for those with very high earnings.

Mortgage lenders in Germany allow you to borrow up to 100% of the property value (although you will have to cover some other costs of buying a house, such as purchase fees, with your own equity). While some German banks will be willing to finance the full amount, loans of around 80% are more common.

Broadly speaking, rural areas tend to be cheaper than cities. Research by the property portal Immowelt found that houses in Germany averaged €2,800 per square meter in early 2022, while flats cost €3,200. Saxony was the most affordable place to buy, while Munich was the most expensive.

To be eligible for naturalization, a person has to have lived legally in Germany for at least eight years and possess the appropriate residence permit. Foreigners who have successfully completed an integration course are eligible for naturalization after seven years.

Most expats opt for renting in Germany; only a few choose to buy a house or apartment after having lived in Germany for some time already. When it comes to renting an apartment in Germany as a foreigner, there are certain things you need to know to avoid a bureaucratic rat race and unnecessary stress.

What is cold rent in Germany? ›

Cold rent means that you pay basic rent for the residence and there are no extra costs included in your monthly payment. Warm rent means that your monthly payment includes the basic rent for the residence and additional costs - called Umlagen or Nebenkosten.

Depending on your point of view and where you live now, Germany can be seen as either very expensive or very affordable. In contrast to many European countries, Germany is not very expensive.

There's no legal reason why you can't get a flat without a job. However, landlords will certainly want to check that you're able to pay the rent for the duration of the lease. As such, if you don't have a job yet, you might need to offer additional proof in order to rent.

E.g. two bedrooms, living room and dining room. 2 1/2 ZKB = 2.5 rooms. The half room is usually a room that due to its small size cannot be counted as a full room. The term "Studio" is seldom used in German advertisements. More often you find 1 Zimmer Apartment or 1 Zimmer Wohnung.

According to Statista, in 2021, the average gross annual salary in Germany was 47.700 euros a year, or 3.975 euros a month. The numbers above are for all of Germany. However, the average gross salary will depend greatly on your location, professional experience, education, size of the company, and gender.

Tourists or people on a tourist visa can also rent an apartment in Germany. However, they might need to prove all before mentioned documents, such as: Job contract (in Germany) Bank statements.

What is included in the rent in Germany? Your rental contract will set out exactly how much rent you are expected to pay. It will usually specify a payment date and a preferred method of payment. The most common way of paying your rent is by transferring it to your landlord's bank account.

This government-built, high-quality supply of social housing laid the foundations for Germany's preference for renting over buying. Couple this with a lack of subsidies for homeowners, rent stability, and consistently high house prices, and Germany's historical propensity for renting over buying becomes clear.

Electricity Price in Germany averaged 51.89 EUR/MWh from 2000 until 2022, reaching an all time high of 699.44 EUR/MWh in August of 2022 and a record low of -56.87 EUR/MWh in December of 2012. This page includes a chart with historical data for Germany Electricity Price.

What's a good salary in Germany? ›

A good annual average salary in Germany is between €64,000 to €81,000. This gross salary (salary before taxes or social contributions) depends on your profession, industry, and education.

Munich is the safest city in Germany.

In comparison to other cities with above 200 000 citizens, Munich has the lowest crime rate. In 2019, Mercer Quality of Life Survey awarded Munich with the 3rd highest quality of life across the world, and joint 2nd for infrastructure.

Berlin has the biggest number of English speakers followed by MUNICH.

Berlin - one of the economic hubs of the world

The capital city of Germany offers some of the best employment opportunities in Berlin. It is one of the economic hubs of the world and attracts a growing number of expats each year that come in search of better career options.