How much does it cost to study in Germany?

We already told you that studying in Germany is much more affordable than in Canada, the UK, France, Australia, or the US, right? And when we say that, we don’t only refer to private university fees. To find out how much it costs to study in Germany, you need to know the costs of housing, food, and commuting. And in Germany, these costs are lower.

Sound financial planning for your exchange period is essential. We can help you with the calculations to figure out the basic monthly expenses that you will have as a student in Germany while living in a city like Berlin or Hamburg:

Rent + power, water, and gas: € 500, living in a student dormitory or student house.
Food: € 200, cooking at home or eating in university restaurants.
Transportation: € 70 (if you study at a public university, you will not have to pay because transportation cost is part of the university’s semester fee).
Internet: 40 euros, but a student dormitory rental usually includes the Internet plan.
Mobile data plan: € 36
Health insurance: € 90 (for students up to 30 years old).
Extras (clothes, entertainment, etc.): € 64
Total: € 1000

The essential cost of living for a student in a small university town in Germany:

Rent + power, water, and gas: € 200, living in a student dormitory or student house.
Food: € 150, cooking at home or eating in university restaurants.
Mobile data plan: € 36
Health Insurance: € 90 for students up to 30 years old.
Extras (clothes, entertainment, etc.): € 64
Total: € 550

Tips from Germanics

• Costs of living can be very different from place to place. For example, there is a big difference between living in a trendy and cosmopolitan capital like Berlin, a financial and business center like Frankfurt, or a small village in the countryside. For example, in a small university town, a student’s monthly cost of living can drop to 550 Euros.
• When planning your expenses in Euro, do not convert prices to your local currency, especially in times of high exchange rates! Always think in monetary units and compare only the values, never the currencies between two countries.
• In Germany, foreigners with a student visa can work up to 20 hours per week. An international student receives a monthly salary of on average 450 euros.
• You can compare the cost of living between different cities in Germany and the cost of living in Germany compared to other popular student destinations abroad on collaborative platforms such as Numbeo and Expatistan.
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