Cost of living in Munich: Is Munich expensive to live in?

Moving to Munich? Your living expenses are going to change. We've done the research! Bring your budget book and come find out what you'll be spending to live in this beautiful, expensive city.

Bas

5 minute read

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Updated on 16 Oct 2024

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Living

It may come as a surprise that Munich is one of the most expensive cities to live in Germany. The cost of living in Munich is even higher than in wealthy financial hubs like Frankfurt, but you’ll quickly find that living in Munich is worth the high cost of living. To help you prepare for the living cost in Munich, we’ll walk you through all there is to know about the cost of renting, utilities, transportation, health insurance and other essentials to life in Munich.

The average cost of living in Munich for a single person is €2,440. However, each person living in Munich will have a different monthly budget depending on their salary, rental preference and lifestyle. We’ve created a general budget for monthly living costs in Munich so you can know what you’ll pay.

Remember that Munich has some of the highest salaries in Germany to help you afford the higher cost of living. The average salary in Munich is about €4,687 per month.

The cost of living in Munich for a family is about €5,200 per month. Usually, it’s about 2 or 3 times more than that of a single person as you need to factor in additional expenses such as childcare and school supplies.

The cost of living in Munich for students

The cost of living in Munich for students is about €1,420 per month. While this is a lot lower than the overall cost of living, students in Munich will typically save on rent and find student rooms near universities in Munich rather than renting entire apartments or studios. Students in Munich can also get a discount on the Deutschlandticket, bringing the cost down to just €29 per month.

Now that you know what you can expect to spend in Munich per month, let’s examine each expense in more detail.

Housing in Munich will be your biggest expense. The cost of rent in Munich varies greatly depending on where you live and the type of accommodation you choose. Here’s an overview of the average rent prices in Munich, broken down by accommodation type;

Rooms

According to HousingAnywhere's rental index, a room in Munich will cost around €828 monthly. Most students living in Munich will rent a shared or private room to keep costs down.

You can book affordable private room in Munich early and for an extended time with HousingAnywhere. If you're lucky, you might score a room in one of Munich's famous Altbau homes and save on your rental costs!

Studios

A studio in Munich costs around €1,650 per month, according to the HousingAnywhere rent index. Studios in Munich are pretty pricey, but they come with a lot of privacy and your own facilities. The housing quality in Munich is pretty high, so you can discover stylish studios for rent in Munich in some idyllic neighbourhoods.

Apartments

Renting an apartment in Munich costs about €1,750 per month, according to HousingAnywhere’s rent index. What you’ll pay to rent an apartment will vary depending on the location and the number of rooms.

The rental market in Munich is pretty competitive, and it can be tricky to find apartments for rent in Munich. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to find a place, and use HousingAnywhere’s search alerts so you’ll be in the loop when any new listings become available.

Munich has a well developed public transportation system. You can get around the city by S-Bahn (train), U-Bahn (subway), bus or tram.

Munich is divided into 7 different transport zones. When you buy a ticket, you need to choose the zon you'll travel within. However, the M zone will most likely be sufficient as it covers all of central Munich.

The majority of internationals living in Munich will purchase a Deutschlandticket which only costs €49 per month and allows you to travel all over Germany, not just Munich. If you plan to travel using public transport less, it’s best to check out MVV’s website to see what the cost of a monthly pass or single ticket is for your journey.

Car owners will spend a bit more on transport as the price of gas in Munich is about €1.81 per litre. This adds up to around €450 a month to get around in a mid-sized car.

Here’re some transport costs to give you an idea of the individual costs:

Food in Munich can be expensive depending on where you eat and do your grocery shopping. For comparison, going out for lunch in most German cities should cost around €7-10, whereas in Munich, that’ll quickly increase to €15.

Groceries in Munich

Supermarkets in Munich are a bit more expensive than in other places. Similarly, beef, chicken breast and cheese can cost you 10-20% more than in other parts of the country. All in all, a single person living in Munich should budget between €300 and €450 monthly for groceries.

Overview of food expenses in Munich

The cost of public health insurance for students under 25 is around €140 per month.

People working in Germany are enrolled in public health insurance by their employers. You contribute 14.6% of your gross monthly income towards healthcare. Luckily, this amount is split between you and your employer, so you pay only 7.3% of your monthly salary for health insurance. Here's a brief calculation to help you put the amount into numbers:

• 7.3% of €1,600: €116.80 a month
• 7.3% of €2,700: €197.10 a month
• 7.3% of €3,300: €231 a month
• 7.3% of €5,775: €421.58 a month (This is the salary cap, so if you earn more than this, your contribution will stay the same)

If you want to know more about how the system works, read our in-depth article on German health insurance.

If you plan to work from home and avoid commuting to Munich centre for work, you’ll need to ensure you have a decent internet connection.

The cost of your internet plan depends on your needs and the number of people in your household. Many internet providers will offer discounts to young people or package deals so you can get your Wi-Fi and TV or even mobile plans in one bundle. Setting up your internet in Germany can be confusing when you don’t speak the language, so be sure to research to find the best option. Don’t hesitate to ask your German friends or neighbours for help with translation!

On average, most people will pay about €40 a month for internet in Munich. Depending on your plan preferences and age, you’ll pay an additional €20-€40 for a phone plan.

Thankfully, gyms in Munich are only as expensive as you want them to be.

You can get a subscription at McFit for as little as €20 a month. But if you want the full German fitness and spa experience, you could pay upwards of €80 a month to subscribe to a higher-end gym with spa facilities.

Besides, if you’re a student or employee, there’s a pretty big chance you can get a student or employer discount at some of the Munich Gyms.

So, now that you have an idea of what essentials like housing, food, and health insurance will cost in Munich, happy budgeting!

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