You can reduce household costs most easily on the items that come up every month: rent, electricity, internet, mobile phone, broadcasting fee and travel ticket. Rent is the largest block. On the open market, a room in a shared flat costs €510 per month on average across Germany, while the BAföG accommodation allowance is €380. For the other fixed costs, the contract term, the choice of tariff and whether you qualify for an exemption or a student price make the difference.
Key points at a glance
- Rent remains the largest fixed cost: €510 on average for a room in a shared flat, compared with the €380 BAföG accommodation allowance.
- The broadcasting fee is €18.36 per month per flat. BAföG recipients who do not live with their parents can apply for an exemption.
- The Germany semester ticket costs €37.80 per month, while the regular Deutschlandticket costs €63. That is a difference of €25.20 per month.
- For electricity, internet and mobile phone, the contract term, notice period and actual consumption matter.
Where can you reduce household costs as a student?
Fixed costs are the same amount every month. You reduce them through contracts, applications and decisions that you make once.
| Item | What applies | Lever |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Average €510 for a room in a shared flat, BAföG allowance €380 | City, location, shared flat or own apartment |
| Electricity and gas | Depending on the tenancy agreement, included in the rent or billed separately | Check the advance payment, compare tariffs, reduce consumption |
| Internet | Shared connection, costs split between flatmates | Check term and notice period, compare tariffs |
| Mobile phone | Prices and terms differ between providers | Adjust the tariff to actual use, check student prices |
| Broadcasting fee | €18.36 per month per flat | Exemption with BAföG, hardship application, share costs in the shared flat |
| Transport | Germany semester ticket €37.80, Deutschlandticket €63 per month | Use the semester ticket where it is offered |
| Insurance | Private liability is often included free under your parents’ policy | Check existing cover before taking out a new policy |
How much rent is usual for a room in a shared flat?
The average rent for a room in a shared flat across Germany is €510 per month. In Munich the figure is €850, in Berlin and Hamburg €650 each, and in Cologne €640. These figures come from the 2026 university town scoring of the Moses Mendelssohn Institute, which the German National Association for Student Affairs evaluates in a press release dated 17 September 2026.
In 76 of the 90 university towns surveyed, the average rent is above the BAföG accommodation allowance of €380. At €510 rent, a gap of €130 per month, or €1,560 per year, remains, which you have to cover from other sources. The government draft provides for an allowance of €440 from 1 April 2027, but this has not yet been decided.
Housing benefit (Wohngeld) helps most students little. Anyone who could in principle receive BAföG is excluded from housing benefit, even if the BAföG amount is zero because of parental income. For a training that is not eligible for funding, this can look different; the housing benefit office in your city can clarify it.
Electricity and gas: what to check in the contract
Whether electricity and heating are included in your rent is stated in the tenancy agreement. If electricity runs through its own contract, check three things: does the advance payment match your consumption? When does the notice period end? And whose name is the contract in when someone moves out of the shared flat?
In a shared flat, flatmates usually split the advance payment by the number of people. Concrete tips on consumption are in saving electricity as a student (in German).
What does an internet contract cost, and how can you lower it?
Costs depend on speed, term and provider. In a shared flat, the connection usually covers the whole flat, so you only pay a share. Compare term and notice period before you sign: if you move after a year, do not take on a long commitment. Choose the speed based on what the shared flat actually uses.
How do you choose a mobile phone contract as a student?
For a mobile phone contract as a student, the data volume you actually use matters. Do not pay for gigabytes you never use. If your phone is mostly on Wi-Fi at home and at university, the data allowance often goes unused. Look at the usage display of your phone and choose the tariff one step lower if the value stays consistently low.
Also check whether your provider offers student prices. You usually need your enrolment certificate for these. Which other discounts are open to you is shown in Benefits of student status (in German), and an overview of where students save (in German) complements it. For promotional prices, pay attention to the price after the promotion ends.
Broadcasting fee: who is exempt as a student
The broadcasting fee is €18.36 per month per flat. An exemption is available to BAföG recipients who do not live with their parents. You apply to the Beitragsservice and prove your entitlement with the BAföG notice. More detail is explained by the Studierendenwerke.
The exemption only applies to the BAföG funding period; after that, you need to apply again. An application can be backdated by up to three years, so if you have missed it so far, ask. In a shared flat, one person’s exemption does not help the others. In halls of residence, each individual flat pays the full fee.
Without BAföG, a hardship application may be an option, for example for a second degree, a late change of subject or after the maximum funding period has been exceeded. The Beitragsservice then checks your need. The benchmark is whether your income is below the level of the citizen’s benefit (Bürgergeld); there is no fixed euro limit. For 2027, the KEF commission recommends a fee of €18.64, which has not been decided.
Germany ticket or semester ticket: which is cheaper?
Where it is offered, the Germany semester ticket costs €37.80 per month or €226.80 per semester. That is 60% of the price of the regular Deutschlandticket, which costs €63 per month. You save €25.20 per month and €302.40 per year.
| Ticket | 2026 | From 1 January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandticket | €63 per month | €66.80 per month (decided) |
| Germany semester ticket | €37.80 per month (€226.80 per semester) | €40.08 per month (decided) |
More on tickets, trips home and long-distance travel is in Affordable travel as a student (in German).
Which insurance do you really need?
Children are usually covered free of charge under their parents’ private liability insurance, as long as they are unmarried and in school or a directly following first training. This also applies to a full-time degree. The cover can end if a master’s starts late after the bachelor’s, or if you take up permanent employment or a traineeship. Some providers limit the cover to an age, such as 23. Ask your parents’ insurer.
Before you take out a new policy, check what already exists. Which discounts insurers offer students is explained in Student insurance discounts (in German).
Worked example: Lea in a shared flat
Example: Lea, 22, studies in a city with average prices. She lives in a three-person shared flat, pays €510 for her room and uses the semester ticket for €37.80 per month. The three flatmates share the broadcasting fee: €18.36 divided by 3 is €6.12 per person.
| Item | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Room rent | €510.00 |
| Semester ticket | €37.80 |
| Broadcasting fee (share) | €6.12 |
| Total of the three items | €553.92 |
Electricity, internet and mobile phone are added depending on the contract. With the Deutschlandticket at €63 instead of the semester ticket, Lea pays €25.20 more per month.
Frequently asked questions
What is the broadcasting fee for students?
The broadcasting fee is €18.36 per month per flat, not per person. In a shared flat, you split it. BAföG recipients who do not live with their parents can apply for an exemption for the BAföG funding period.
How can I reduce my mobile phone contract as a student?
Compare the data volume you have booked with your actual usage and choose a smaller tariff if necessary. Look at the term and notice period, and ask about student prices, which are usually available on presentation of the enrolment certificate. For promotional prices, the price after the promotion counts.
How much does an internet contract cost in a shared flat?
Costs depend on speed, term and provider. Because the connection covers the flat, you split the amount among all residents. Before signing, decide whose name the contract is in and check the notice period in case someone moves out.
How to proceed now
- Write down all monthly contracts with amount, term and notice period.
- If you receive BAföG, check whether you are exempt from the broadcasting fee, and submit the application to the Beitragsservice.
- Compare the semester ticket and the Deutschlandticket if your university offers both.
- Ask your parents whether your private liability insurance is still covered.
- Set aside the amount you free up as a reserve. How to build a basic stock from it is shown in the first step towards wealth (in German).
Ongoing spending on food, clothing and leisure is not part of fixed costs. The article on saving as a student (in German) offers ideas for that.
Related articles
- Cheap travel as a student: tips for a small budget (in German)
- Saving electricity as a student: reduce energy and utility costs (in German)
- Find an affordable flat as a student: strategy, portals and costs (in German)
- Liability insurance for students: who needs it (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
