Germany Cost of Living Calculator
Build a monthly and yearly student budget for studying in Germany, including the fees that catch international students out.
Fill in what each line costs where you are studying. The calculator totals your month, multiplies it out over a year, and shows what is left once your income is counted. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Where to get the figures#
- Kalt or warm. German rents are quoted cold (Kaltmiete, rent alone) or warm (Warmmiete, with Nebenkosten such as heating and water). Put the cold rent on the first line and the Nebenkosten on the second, or your budget will count them twice - or miss them.
- Health insurance is compulsory and you cannot enrol without it. Students under the age limit usually qualify for the reduced statutory student rate; above it, or on some private cover, it costs more. Take the figure from the insurer you apply to.
- The Rundfunkbeitrag is the broadcast fee, charged per flat rather than per person, so in a shared flat it is split. It is easy to forget and it is not optional.
- Semesterbeitrag. Most universities charge a semester contribution that often includes a transit pass. It is billed twice a year, so divide it across the months if you want it inside the monthly figure - and if it covers your travel, your transport line may be close to zero.
Costs that are not monthly#
Budget separately for the blocked account you have to fund before the visa, the visa application itself, your flight, the deposit (Kaution, often several months' rent), and registering once you arrive.
Why it starts empty#
Munich and Leipzig are not the same city financially, and the figures move each year. The arithmetic is worth automating; the numbers should be yours.