ONE COUNTRY, SIXTEEN PERSPECTIVES

About Germany

History, symbols and the 16 federal states: cities, universities, the economy, regional culture and an initial budget for everyday life.

Explore the 16 states ↓

GERMANY

Berlin16 statesEUR · €

Your overview

What you need

A region that suits your lifestyle, budget and goals.

Your next steps

Compare federal states and reference cities on the map.

Avoid common mistakes

Costs for a reference city are not an average for the entire state.

DE / 16

Explore Germany on the map

Explore a federal state using your mouse or keyboard. Click to open its profile; on mobile, the first tap displays a brief overview.

Highlight industriesShow cities16 matching federal states

Industry profiles provide general guidance; they do not show current job vacancies.

Map geometry: Simplemaps · City data & attribution · EXODEU

Compare two federal states

Compare states using the same budget assumptions. Reference cities and Brandenburg’s separate calculation remain visible.

Federal state 1Federal state 2

Baden-Württemberg

State capital: Stuttgart
Major cities: Stuttgart · Mannheim · Karlsruhe
Industries at a glance: Automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering and medical technology; numerous export-oriented small and medium-sized businesses.
Higher education institutions — examples: Universität Heidelberg ↗
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) ↗

Estimated monthly budget

Stuttgart

With a room in a shared flat1150–1350 €

With a small apartment1200–1400 €

One person with student health insurance; reference city rather than a state average. Updated: October 2026.

Full profile ↗

Bavaria

State capital: München
Major cities: München · Nürnberg · Augsburg
Industries at a glance: Automotive manufacturing, aerospace, IT and electronics. Munich and Nuremberg are important economic centres.
Higher education institutions — examples: Technische Universität München ↗
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München ↗

Estimated monthly budget

München

With a room in a shared flat1450–1650 €

With a small apartment1500–1700 €

One person with student health insurance; reference city rather than a state average. Updated: October 2026.

Full profile ↗

Check the budget assumptions ↗

Continue to work, vocational training and languageWork ↗Vocational training ↗German ↗

Getting to know Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany is in Central Europe and borders nine countries. The North Sea and Baltic Sea in the north and the Alps in the south shape its landscape. Germany is a federal parliamentary democracy; its 16 states have important responsibilities in areas such as education and culture. Berlin is the capital and largest city. German is the official language and the euro is the currency. Germany belongs to the European Union and the Schengen Area. Everyday life, dialects and labour markets vary by region.

The flag: black, red and gold

The national flag consists of three horizontal stripes of equal width: black at the top, followed by red and gold. Historically, the colours are associated with the movements for freedom and unity in the 19th century, particularly in 1848. They were used in the Weimar Republic and again in the Federal Republic from 1949. The individual colours have no officially assigned meanings such as “wealth” or “blood”.

Milestones in history

1871
The German Empire is founded. Previously, numerous states and regional cultures had shaped the long history of the German-speaking world.
1919
After the First World War, the Weimar Republic is established with a democratic constitution.
1933–1945
Nazi dictatorship, persecution, the Holocaust and the Second World War. Remembering these crimes is central to Germany’s culture of remembrance today.
1949
Following defeat and occupation, the Federal Republic is established in the west and the German Democratic Republic in the east.
1989–1990
The Berlin Wall opens on 9 November 1989; Germany reunifies on 3 October 1990.

What is a federal state?

Each state has its own government and parliament. Berlin and Hamburg are city-states; the state of Bremen consists of Bremen and Bremerhaven. A state capital is not always its largest city: Hesse’s capital is Wiesbaden, while Frankfurt am Main is larger.

€ / PLANNING EVERYDAY LIFE

How to read the cost estimates

The estimate is for one person living on a modest or student budget; totals are shown separately for a room in a shared flat and a small apartment. It is not an official state average or a price guarantee. Each amount identifies a reference city. Rent including service charges (Warmmiete) usually covers heating and building costs; electricity and internet may be extra. Subsidised student accommodation may cost less, but a place is not guaranteed.

Monthly model excluding rent: food €250–350, transport €60–70, phone/internet/electricity and a share of the broadcasting contribution €50–90, personal expenses/leisure €80–140, and student health insurance around €140–170. Rounded, €600–800 is added to rent. Insurance depends on age and status; employees usually pay their share through payroll. The MLP/IW model rents from September 2026 refer to a 20 m² room in a shared flat and a 30 m² apartment, not a specific advertised property.

Deposits, travel, moving costs, furniture, tuition fees and semester contributions are not included. The financial resources required for a visa do not necessarily match actual living costs. Check current rental listings and your insurance tariff.

Reviewed: October 2026 · EXODEU budget estimates based on sources covering rent and everyday expenses.

Explore the 16 states

Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg

State capital: Stuttgart
Major cities: Stuttgart · Mannheim · Karlsruhe
Well-known higher education institutions — examples: Universität Heidelberg ↗
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) ↗
Economy and industries: Automotive manufacturing, mechanical engineering and medical technology; numerous export-oriented small and medium-sized businesses.
Culture and history: The Black Forest, Swabian and Baden traditions; Heidelberg combines university history with a historic old town.

Estimated monthly budget · Stuttgart

Shared-flat room · rent including service charges559 €

30 m² apartment · rent including service charges611 €

Total with a shared-flat room1150–1350 €

Total with an apartment1200–1400 €

About Germany

Your overview

What you need

Your next steps

Avoid common mistakes

Explore Germany on the map

Compare two federal states

Baden-Württemberg

Bavaria

Getting to know Germany

The flag: black, red and gold

Milestones in history

What is a federal state?

How to read the cost estimates

Explore the 16 states

Baden-WürttembergBaden-Württemberg

Estimated monthly budget · Stuttgart

BavariaBayern

Estimated monthly budget · München

BerlinBerlin

Estimated monthly budget · Berlin

BrandenburgBrandenburg

Estimated monthly budget · Cottbus / Senftenberg

BremenBremen

Estimated monthly budget · Bremen

HamburgHamburg

Estimated monthly budget · Hamburg

HesseHessen

Estimated monthly budget · Frankfurt am Main

Mecklenburg-VorpommernMecklenburg-Vorpommern

Estimated monthly budget · Rostock

Lower SaxonyNiedersachsen

Estimated monthly budget · Hannover

North Rhine-WestphaliaNordrhein-Westfalen

Estimated monthly budget · Düsseldorf

Rhineland-PalatinateRheinland-Pfalz

Estimated monthly budget · Mainz

SaarlandSaarland

Estimated monthly budget · Saarbrücken

SaxonySachsen

Estimated monthly budget · Dresden

Saxony-AnhaltSachsen-Anhalt

Estimated monthly budget · Magdeburg

Schleswig-HolsteinSchleswig-Holstein

Estimated monthly budget · Kiel

ThuringiaThüringen

Estimated monthly budget · Jena