22 Tips for Living in Germany

Choosing where to live in Germany

Don’t worry if you haven’t decided where to live in Germany, there are so many great cities to choose from - it’s hard to go wrong!

If you’re looking to study at a German university, we would recommend Cologne, Potsdam, and Mainz where our CBS campuses are. Other popular study destinations include Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich.

If you are studying at one of our campuses you can easily live in one of the neighboring cities. Düsseldorf, Bonn & Aachen are close to our campus in Cologne. Our campus in Potsdam is only half an hour away from vibrant Berlin and our campus in Mainz is only half an hour away from Frankfurt am Mainz.

There are plenty of job opportunities available across Germany for international students, but the cities with the highest chance of employment are Cologne, Munich, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Berlin. Each of these cities have excellent infrastructures for work and have high salaries.

If you want to save money and live in the cheapest German cities, we recommend Bonn, Aachen, and Leipzig. These are smaller cities but are great options for people on a budget.

Housing in Germany

Depending on your situation, you may live in student accommodation or rent privately.

The amount you pay for your rent will depend on the city you live in, but will normally be around €500-1000 a month - this may be lower or higher depending on your city and accommodation.

Other costs that you need to budget for are utilities and other bills, these extra costs are known as ‘Nebenkosten’. Some of these costs may be covered in your monthly rent and will be shared if you live with other people, but you should still factor these in when planning your expenses. 

Nebenkosten can include:

• Internet/telephone connection

• Heating

• Electricity

• Water

• TV

• Home insurance

In Germany, tenants usually take everything when they move out so you may have to think about buying furniture. You could buy from stores like IKEA, but to save money we recommend checking out local flea markets, thrift stores, Facebook marketplace, or eBay.

Banking in Germany

If you’re planning to stay for longer than a few weeks in Germany, it’s probably a good idea to open up a German bank account.

It’s important as some scholarship and financial aid options may only transfer money into German bank accounts.

If you want to set up a student bank account in Germany, you can go to the bank branch of your choice and provide the following documents:

• Passport or ID

• Student ID/Certificate of Enrolment

• Confirmation of registration from the German Resident Registration Office

Find out more about opening a blocked account in Germany

Once your bank account is opened you’ll be issued with a debit card, but don’t expect to be able to use it everywhere - a lot of small businesses and cafes in Germany only accept cash.

German visa

Getting a German visa to work or study is relatively easy compared to other countries, and some students may not even need to apply for one.

Before you move to Germany you should check whether you’re required to apply for a visa. Most EU students should be fine, but if you’re a non-EU student you can only stay in Germany for 90 days on a tourist visa.

Find out more about applying for student visas.

The visa process doesn’t always finish once you arrive in Germany, you also have to register your address with the German authorities - if you don’t, you could get into problems.

To register, you need to show proof of your address to local authorities within 2 weeks of arrival.

Working in Germany

If you get a job in Germany you’ll experience good salaries, an excellent work-life balance, and great opportunities. 

There are also plenty of student job opportunities for those who speak English.

Find out more about getting employment after graduation.

Something you may not be used to is the workplace culture in Germany. It may be very different from how it is in your home country, so here are some things you should know:

• It’s normal to take sick days for minor ailments

• German workdays typically start at 7.30am

• It’s normal for colleagues to arrive around 5-10 minutes early for meetings

• Open-plan offices aren’t very common

• If your workday finishes at 5, you’re won’t be expected to stay later

• German workers don’t typically engage in small talk around the office

• Socialising with colleagues outside of the office is not common

• If you’re on holiday, you’ll never be expected to answer an email or phone call

Transportation in Germany

Transport in Germany is known for being highly efficient, clean and on time, plus it’s fairly affordable - especially for students who can take public transport for free with their student card.

The main transport options in Germany are:

• S-Bahn (Schnellbahn or Stadtschnellbahn) 

• U-Bahn (Untergrundbahn) 

• Buses

• Regional trains 

• Regionalexpress (RE) 

Our tip, however, is to get yourself a bike as most German cities are built with cyclists in mind. Most roads have designated cycle lanes so it’s a very safe and cheap way to get around.

If you have a car, you want to make sure you know the rules of the road in Germany - especially the Autobahn. On these highways, there’s no speed limit and you can only stop in emergencies - it’s even illegal to run out of fuel, so you can’t use that as an excuse.

Another tip we have is to make the most of Germany’s excellent transport links between neighboring European countries. You can easily travel to nearby cities in France, The Netherlands or Austria - and it shouldn’t be that expensive.

Socialising & Events in Germany

Studying is important, but it’s also important to make the most of your study abroad and socialise with new people.

Luckily, Germans love socialising and being part of clubs. You should check for student clubs at your University, or for English-speaking groups in your city. Germany is full of expats so it should be easy to find like-minded people who speak English, no matter what city you’re in.

Check out the student initiatives that are available here at CBS!

Most universities will have orientation weeks for international students to meet each other so make sure you attend all of the orientation events you can.

There’s no better way to bond with students than by making the most of the vibrant German nightlife. We hope you like techno music because this is the most common music in clubs. 

Throughout the year there are festivals dedicated to everything you can imagine, but make sure not to miss Oktoberfest, the carnival in Cologne, and Cologne’s Gay Pride known as the CSD short for Christopher's Street Day.

Oktoberfest in Munich

Oktoberfest is the biggest folk festival in the world that takes place every September which sees 6 million visitors drink over 7.3 million liters of beer.

It’s a big German tradition that’s lasted over 200 years, so it’s an important cultural event that we recommend all international students attend.

Christmas markets in Germany

Germany is famous for its Christmas markets, which are a perfect way to get you into the holiday spirit every December.

Most cities have their own Christmas markets, but the most popular are in Cologne, Nuremberg, Munich, and Berlin.

Cologne Carnival

Cologne Carnival is a week-long celebration that takes place every year just before Lent. 

It’s a crazy party where people dress up in costumes for parades, sing happy Kölsche songs, and shout the famous phrase ‘Kölle Alaaf!’ - which translates to ‘Cologne above all’.

Cologne Gay Pride Festival

Cologne is home to one of the biggest pride festivals in Germany, it’s a week-long celebration that involves festivals, parties, and political forums.