Cost of living at university – you need to calculate this

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With the beginning of your studies, not only an exciting new phase of your life begins, but also some costs will arise. We have compiled all the costs you should expect to incur during your studies.

Cost of living at university - you need to calculate this

Cost of living

According to a 2019 social survey by the German Student Union, students in Germany spend an average of €867 per month. The costs are distributed as follows:

  • Rent and utilities
  • Food
  • Semester fees, tuition fees, teaching materials
  • Leisure (clothes, sports, cinema…)
  • Telephony / Internet
  • Health insurance
  • Other

How the cost is distributed monthly

The mentioned value is an average value, of course, the costs can be distributed differently and turn out differently for everyone.

Rent and service charges

The biggest cost driver for male and female students is rent and the associated ancillary costs. Students in Germany pay an average of €332 in rent per month. This value varies greatly depending on where you live and whether you live in your own apartment, a shared room or in a student dormitory.
Dormitories for students are usually the most economical type of housing. But especially in the big cities there are sometimes long waiting lists to get a free room. Rents in popular major cities such as Munich, Hamburg or Cologne are particularly expensive, whereas in smaller cities you can get your own apartment for less than €200 a month.

Food

Next to rent, food is the second largest cost factor in monthly expenses for students. This is 154 €. This includes not only purchases for home, but also the cost of out-of-home gastronomy. Those who eat out a lot in restaurants or order more frequently probably spend even more than €154 per month on groceries. But if you cook for yourself most of the time, you can even stay below the stated cost. A cost-effective alternative is lunch in the canteen.

Semester fees, tuition fees, teaching materials

Not every student has to pay tuition fees. Semester fees, on the other hand, are incurred by every student. Depending on the university, the semester fees are between 250 € and 350 € for 6 months. Tuition fees are charged at private universities, for two-year studies or for so-called long-term students. These can quickly reach 500 € per semester.

In addition, there are costs for teaching materials. The expenses for this vary greatly depending on the course of study. For example, students who study medicine or law pay significantly more for learning materials than students in tourism. On average, costs of about 24 € per month can be expected.

Leisure time (clothes, sports, cinema…)

For the leisure area, in addition to the costs for clothes, expenses for leisure activities are also estimated. This includes, for example, going to the cinema, costs for sports clubs / gyms, a concert visit or the necessary pocket money to go out partying.
Clothes cost an average of 48 € per month. For leisure activities it is 65 €.

Telephone and Internet

In addition to the usual costs for your cell phone and Internet tariff, this category also includes the fees for the broadcasting contribution. If you are not exempt from these fees as a BAfoG recipient, you will have to pay fees of €17.50 per month. However, this amount is due for an entire household. This means that if you live in a shared flat or still live at home with your parents, you only have to pay this proportionally.
Telephone and internet costs average €32 per month. If you live alone, the amount is quite tight, considering that you have to pay a cell phone tariff, an internet contract and the broadcasting fees.

Health insurance

An average of €96 is spent on health care per month. In addition to the costs for your health insurance, this also includes costs for medications or alternative healing methods.
Until you reach the age of 25. After the age of 6, you can remain insured in the health insurance of your parents family, provided that your monthly income does not exceed 450 €. If you have your own health insurance, the contributions vary depending on how old you are. From the 30. Private health insurance is usually cheaper for students over the age of 18. The best way to compare the contributions is free of charge.

Other

Some expenses are difficult to calculate. This includes, for example, travel costs. Most students use the city's public transportation system to get around. These can be used at a reduced rate with the semester ticket. Depending on the federal state, the costs for a semester ticket vary. The average is about 160 €, the costs are already included in the semester fees.
If you have a car and use it a lot, there are costs for gasoline, insurance and maintenance costs on top.

In this category are also costs for vacations, account management fees or food and veterinary costs for pets to be booked.
Finally, it can be summarized that for all "Other" expenses, costs are estimated at €116 per month.

Of course, the costs vary depending on where you live, your own needs and how many leisure activities you pursue. BAfoG, maintenance payments or financing options such as student loans can help you with the costs.