Student Living Costs 2026: Reference Values and Budget Steps

Student living costs in Germany in 2026 are made up of rent, food, insurance, transport, study materials and leisure. How high your spending is depends mainly on where you live and where you study. This guide gives you reliable reference values and shows you how to turn them into your own monthly budget.

The Most Important Points at a Glance

• The BAföG maximum rate for students who live away from home and are under 25 is 855 euros per month (as of 1 August 2024).
• The basic need allowance (Grundbedarf) is 475 euros, and the housing allowance (Wohnpauschale) for students living away from home is 380 euros per month.
• In the summer semester 2026, a shared flat room (WG-Zimmer) cost 512 euros per month on average across Germany, according to WG-Gesucht.de.
• The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) is 18.36 euros per month per flat (as of 1 January 2026).
• The sources reviewed for this guide did not contain reliable living cost figures for individual cities, so you should work with your own budget.

Which Figures Work as Reference Points?

The BAföG rate is the amount the state assumes for a student’s living costs. It consists of a basic allowance, a housing allowance and, depending on age, supplements for health and long-term care insurance. It is useful for comparison because it is officially set. It is not an evaluation of what students actually spend.

The maximum rate for 25 to 29 year olds contains an extra 102 euros for health insurance and 35 euros for long-term care insurance. The arithmetic is 475 plus 380 plus 102 plus 35 euros, which gives 992 euros. Which contribution applies to you depends on your insurance status and your age. An overview is available in our guide on health insurance as a student over 25 (in German).

How Do You Put Together Your Monthly Budget?

Your calculation is most accurate if you enter each item separately. The following sequence works for any city:

1. Rent: enter the rent of your specific offer. The national average for a shared flat room in the summer semester 2026 was 512 euros (WG-Gesucht.de).
2. Basic needs: use the BAföG basic allowance of 475 euros as a guide for food, clothing, hygiene and general living costs.
3. Fixed charges: include the broadcasting fee of 18.36 euros per flat and check whether you can apply for an exemption.
4. Insurance and semester fee: enter the contributions you actually pay. You will find the semester fee at your university.
5. Mobility and study materials: add a ticket, bicycle or car, and books or software, as far as you need them.

An example with an assumption makes the calculation tangible. Assumption: you live in a shared flat at the national average and pay the broadcasting fee yourself.

This example does not include health insurance, the semester fee, transport, study materials or leisure. You need to add these yourself before you compare your total with your budget. Occasional costs also deserve a line of their own, such as birthdays, trips to your parents, a bicycle repair or a new laptop charger. If you set aside a small monthly amount for these, you will not have to rely on borrowing when they arise. Calculate a buffer for such cases on top of the fixed items.

Which Items Vary the Most?

Housing is the item where city and specific offer have the biggest effect. In the example above, rent is the largest amount, so differences between cities show up mainly there. It is worth looking at the offers in your city early for that reason. The guide Shared flat rooms 2026: average rent, deposit and BAföG check helps you with that.

The second large factor is your income. A part-time job can cover part of your needs, but it may change your BAföG calculation. The limits are explained in BAföG and part-time jobs: earnings limits 2026 and 2027 (in German).

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there living cost figures for every city?

The sources reviewed for this guide contain no current living cost figures for individual cities. Base your calculation on the actual offers for rent and on the contributions your university charges. The city guides in our range also cover costs and housing locally.

Is the BAföG maximum rate a reference for my own spending?

It is a legally set calculation basis, not a survey of students’ actual spending. It helps you judge the order of magnitude, but it says nothing about your personal costs.

How much health insurance should I budget for?

That depends on your insurance status and your age. Whether you are covered as a family member, through compulsory insurance or privately decides the contribution. A good starting point is the guide on health insurance by age in our range.

How much can I earn each month without reducing my BAföG?

Allowances and earnings limits apply, and they change from time to time. Check the current values with the responsible BAföG office or with the Studierendenwerk before you accept a job.

What to Do Now

1. Create a table with all items and enter the amounts you actually pay.
2. Compare your total with the BAföG rate if you want to check your entitlement.
3. For a part-time job, plan with the statutory minimum wage of 13.90 euros gross per hour (2026) and check the effect on your BAföG.
4. Plan a buffer for unexpected costs and review your budget every semester.

Related Reading

• Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example
• Part-Time Jobs and Taxes for Students in Germany
• Affordable student housing: strategy, portals and costs
• Studying in Göttingen: costs, housing and semester fee 2026 (in German)

Sources: Deutsches Studierendenwerk, BAföG rate tables until 2026 (valid since 1 August 2024); Deutsches Studierendenwerk, BAföG FAQ (as of January 2026); Broadcasting fee, information for students (as of 1 January 2026); Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance (2026); WG-Gesucht.de, Studentische Wohnkosten im Sommersemester 2026 (as of summer semester 2026).

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.