Germany Cost & living - Living expenses

Gross salary is the total your employer offers before deductions, while net salary is what reaches your bank account after income tax, pension, health insurance, unemployment insurance and social security. Net pay depends on your tax class, marital status and insurance contributions.

Most German public universities charge no tuition, so your main costs are the semester contribution, accommodation, health insurance, and living expenses. For your student visa you typically need to show around EUR 11,904 in a blocked account, though Baden-Wurttemberg and TUM charge tuition, so check current figures.

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in a German city centre typically runs EUR 850 to 1,500 a month, which is much higher than the INR 14,000 to 30,000 usually seen in India. Germany costs more than India overall for day-to-day living.

Rent is the biggest monthly cost for MBA students in Germany. A one bedroom city-centre flat is around EUR 809, and outside the centre around EUR 624. Food typically adds EUR 200 to EUR 350, utilities around EUR 309, and a transport pass about EUR 63. Costs vary by city.

Students under 30 can generally access statutory student health insurance in Germany for around EUR 141 to 146 per month. Health insurance is mandatory, and you must provide valid coverage for university enrolment and, where applicable, visa procedures. Confirm the exact premium with the insurer.

Yes, but with an asterisk. Tuition-free countries such as Germany generally remove your biggest expense, yet you still pay for a semester fee, housing, food and insurance. Fully funded scholarships can cover everything, though they are competitive, and many free programmes are taught in the local language.

Indian students spend around EUR 250 to EUR 1,200 per month on accommodation in Germany, depending on location, room type and distance to the university. Leipzig, Chemnitz, Magdeburg, Halle and Dresden are often seen as the more affordable student cities, while Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin cost more.

Yes, Indian students in Germany can take paid internships or jobs alongside their degree, generally up to 140 full working days a year without separate approval, earning roughly EUR 600 to 1,200 a month at the 2026 statutory minimum wage of EUR 13.90 an hour, more in technical fields.