Costs of the Apartment
If you are looking for an apartment, the most important question will be: How much can the apartment cost? If your rent gets paid by the Jobcenter, there are certain upper limits. You will find the relevant numbers under “Financial Aid”.
Contents on this page
Fixed costs
These costs always have to be paid whenever an apartment is rented.
- The cold rent (Kaltmiete) is the basic price for the apartment. It is mentioned in the rental contract (Mietvertrag).
- The additional costs (Nebenkosten) are costs that have to be paid in addition to the basic rent. They include for example: fees for trash, water, janitor, insurance. They are also mentioned in the rental contract. They can change if you consume more (for example more water) or if the prices vary.
- The heating costs (Heizkosten) are the costs to heat up the apartment. They may be agreed upon in the rental contract, or you may pay directly to a supplier. The warmer you keep your apartment, the higher the heating costs. There are different systems, fueled by either gas, oil, remote heating or electricity.
- Electricity (Strom): In order to receive electricity, you have to sign a contract with an energy supplier.
The rent has to be paid on time at the beginning of each month. If you pay too late, the landlord or landlady can terminate your rental contract!
Further costs
Additional to the monthly costs, there are other costs which you have to pay:
- The deposit (Kaution) is a security measure for the landlord or landlady. Legally, it can be three times as high as one basic rent. It has to be paid upon moving in. When you move out and the apartment is undamaged, the landlord will return the deposit to you. In order to receive a loan for the deposit, you can send an application to the Jobcenter. Further information can be found under “Financial Aid”.
- The Broadcasting Fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) has to be paid for every apartment. This is a general fee for television and radio. Recipients of social benefit can apply for an exemption. In order to register or to apply for an exemption, click here:
Broadcasting fee online service - Liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung): Every insurance costs money, so you should think carefully about what you really need. Personal liability insurance (Privathaftpflichtversicherung) is very important. It will pay if you have unintentionally caused material damage to another person. Here, you can also insure damage you did to an apartment or to windows and glass. The cost for a whole family is well below 100 Euro a year.
