Where to live in Stuttgart: Neighbourhood guide

Get to know Stuttgart's neighbourhoods to help you find the place where you'll feel right at home!

Bas

4 minute read

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Updated on 5 Aug 2024

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Living

Moving to Stuttgart means living in an urban sprawl among the hills and valleys that form the German automotive industry’s cradle! You’ll soon know all about living in Stuttgart, which neighbourhoods are the best in the city, as well as one which one is right for you. Whether it’s the town’s lively inner circle in Stuttgart Mitte or one of the more family-friendly neighbourhoods in the southern Stuttgart Süd area, we’ll try to make your quest for a new home as easy as possible. Whichever setting turns out to be right for you, the #6 largest city in Germany and your 600.000 new neighbours are eager to have a drink with you. Welcome to Stuttgart, let’s introduce you to the city.

We’ll be looking at several top Stuttgart neighbourhoods for expats:

• Stuttgart Mitte
• Stuttgart West
• Stuttgart Ost
• Bad Canstatt
• Degerloch

Everyone has different preferences, expectations and, most of all, budgets when it comes to finding the perfect place to live in Stuttgart. As a student, you’ll probably want to be close to campus, as well as right in the middle of the action if you’re eager to mingle in Stuttgart’s nightlife.

As a young professional, you want easy access to both the business districts and the nightlife entertainment that the centre offers. Most likely, you’re also looking for a more private living situation away from rooms and crowded shared apartments. It's also at this point where it becomes a little easier to deal with Stuttgart's relatively high cost of living.

Or if you’re a more seasoned expat, you’re looking for a more quiet sub-urban experience that will net you enough space to allow you to bring or start a family. At the same time, you still want excellent connectivity as well as no compromise in available amenities.

We’ll start at the heart of the city and work our way outward to the more quiet areas. Let’s take a look!

Stuttgart Mitte is the city’s lively city centre. Like many city centres, you’ll find the area packed with offices and shops, but also some charming central apartments that allow you to experience the bustle that Stuttgart has to offer. As you might expect, rental prices here are quite high compared to the amount of space you get.

At the same time, living in Stuttgart Mitte also means living in a cultural hub. Quite a number of the city’s landmarks, museums and even the Duke’s Palace is located there. Since it’s a busy district, parking can be a problem, so it’s most effective for you to rely on public transport if you’re moving to this area. You’ll also find Stuttgart University’s main campus on the western side of the district.

What also sets Stuttgart’s city centre apart from most other business centres is that even here you have easy access to multiple parks, water and green spaces. Stuttgart is a green city overall, but being able to live in the heart of the city and with the option to escape from it at a few minutes notice is quite an advantage when you’re performing in a high-pressure career.

West of the city centre you’ll find the more densely populated districts, offering a nice mix of housing and entertainment in the form of cafes, restaurants and amenities like supermarkets, butcher shops and anything else you need in a residential area. You’ll also find several schools in the area and excellent public transport or bike access to the university campus.

The district is made up of sometimes colourful 3-5 story buildings home to many apartments and studios. The streets are lined with trees, contrasting the urban landscape of stone structures and the metal of parked cars with a fresh breath of green. All in all, the West side of Stuttgart is a popular area with a mixed population, meaning it’s also not one of the most affordable neighbourhoods. That said, it has a lot to offer to make up for it!

Moving over to the eastern side, Stuttgart Ost is a quiet, hilly area that stretches all the way to the Neckar river. It’s a quiet residential neighbourhood where parking's less frantic, and locals go about their lives without any real tourist bustle.

The area is home to streets lined with sizeable, free-standing housing and buildings that offer a range of larger and more luxurious apartments. All in all, the area will appeal to those looking for a more quiet home environment and has the budget to match. Villa or spacious apartment, this area is certainly not for the student budget but can offer everything an expat manager needs to settle down their family.

Stuttgart is an expensive city when it comes to rental prices. While it has not yet reached Munich-levels, the average rental price has been steadily increasing over the past few years. So, for this purpose, it merits taking a look at the areas that are a little further away from the city centre, but still within 10-25 minutes of all the inner-city amenities by public transport.

Bad Cannstatt, named after Stuttgart’s famous mineral baths is a large neighbourhood on both sides of the nearby river. It’s a picturesque, truly German neighbourhood, including even cobbled roads, half-timbered houses and its very own beer festivals. September and October are truly lively times in this neighbourhood, as it’s home to the biggest Beer festivals after Oktoberfest: Cannstatter Wasen and Cannstatter Volksfest. Even when there’s no Beer festival going on, you won’t be bored. You can get out and go for a stroll in the Kurpark or admire wildlife in the nearby Wilhelma Zoo.

This vibrant quarter's only a few minutes away from downtown Stuttgart, yet offers more affordable rental prices. You’ll find plenty of tourist activity because this is also where you’ll find the famous Mercedes-Benz museum and Porsche arena here. So if you’re looking for a lively neighbourhood that won’t break your bank, then Bad Cannstatt should be your new home!

In the southern reaches of Stuttgart you’ll find a more tranquil neighbourhood by the name of Degerloch. The vibe in this neighbourhood is completely different than that in downtown Stuttgart in terms of space. Homes are more spacious, and there’s plenty of room for kids to safely play outside, rather than just chase each other around rows and rows of parked cars.

Essentially, this is one of Stuttgart’s most family-friendly areas that offers access to the same level of amenities as the city centre. The streets are low traffic, with excellent connectivity by tram, bus, and is a well-known safe-haven for cycling-enthusiasts. You’ll have plenty of options finding both apartments or bigger homes, but fewer of the smaller flats that you’d typically find in the city centre.

So, now you've got a decent impression of the variety in neighbourhoods that Stuttgart has to offer. Now it's time to explore rental homes in Stuttgart and find your new home! Have a great trip and good luck during your new adventures in Stuttgart!

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