Wohnen in Düsseldorf

The University campus is located on the borders of the quarters Bilk and Wersten. Bilk is therefore popular with students and you will find many cafes and bars there. Other central quarters are Friedrichstadt, Carlstadt, Stadtmitte (Center), Unterbilk, Oberbilk, Flingern, Düsseltal and Pempelfort.
You can find an overview of the Mietspiegel (average rent) in Euro per square metre (of the year 2023) for the individual districts of Düsseldorf here. You can use this to check whether the rent for accommodation is appropriate.

Note: In smaller towns and communities outside Düsseldorf rents are usually lower. Bus and train connections are usually good. With your semester ticket, you can use public transport throughout NRW free of charge.

Abbreviations: frequently used in housing adverts: 3ZKDB = 3 Zimmer (rooms), Küche
(kitchen), Diele (corridor), Bad (bathroom); EK = Einbauküche (kitchenette)

The monthly rent for a flat is divided into Kaltmiete (basic rent) and Warmmiete (total rent). Kaltmiete is the part of your rent that covers the use of one or several rooms. Adding the costs for waste collection, water, gas, heating and other amenities in the house, the so-called Nebenkosten (NK), or utility costs, gives you the Warmmiete, or total rent. At the start of the year you don’t know how much water, electricity or gas you are going to need. So you make an advance payment every month. Then at the end of the year you either get money back or you have to pay some more.

Kaution: Means the security deposit you will need to pay with the first rent, regularly three monthly rents. The deposit is returned when you move out, if you leave the flat in good condition.

Mietvertrag: All information about the rent and deposit is in the Mietvertrag (tenancy agreement). It also tells you whether you need to redecorate the premises when you vacate them. It also gives you information about your notice period. You often have to sign a handover certificate when you move in. This certificate details whether anything in the apartment is defective, for instance. Then you and the landlord know for certain that it wasn’t you who broke it. Read the tenancy agreement and the handover certificate carefully before you sign.

Provision: Until 2015, it was customary for the tenant to pay a commission for apartments offered on behalf of the landlord through a broker. However, this regulation was abolished by law. Now the landlord has to pay the commission to the broker. So make sure that you don't have to pay any commission when making rentals.

Rundfunkbeitrag: A fee which is used in Germany to finance public service broadcasting and public broadcasters such as ARD, ZDF, WDR and their television, radio and internet services. The contribution is 18,36 euros per month (221 euros per year; status October 2024) and must be paid by every household, regardless of whether a television, radio or computer is actually available and regardless of how many people live there together. An apartment can be registered via an online form for the radio contribution: https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/

Strom: Electricity is normally not included in the rent. You will need to get a contract with the local electricity company. Please contact Stadtwerke Duesseldorf.

As a rule flats and rooms in Germany are almost always unmöbliert (unfurnished), this means extra costs for furniture.

WG: This is short for Wohngemeinschaft and means shared flat. In a WG several students live together in a privately rented flat. The kitchen, bathroom and sometimes a living room are used communally, but each flatmate has his or her own room. Costs for rent, electricity and Internet are shared.

Wohnungsgeberbestätigung: The confirmation of residence is a form signed by the landlord, proving that the tenant actually has rented a specific apartment. This document must be presented to the Einwohnermeldeamt (registration authority) when you register as a resident.

Zwischenmiete: Means a room offer for a limited period of time, usually during a temporary absence of the regular tenant / flatmate. Many students sublet their rooms for a limited period when they themselves go abroad or complete a placement elsewhere. This offers a good interim solution.

• Cheap room to let to a young female student
  often, dubious types hide behind room advertisements that are aimed exclusively at women. Better keep your hands off them.
   
• 2 room apartment, 45qm, downtown: 250 Euro: “Against payment of a deposit, we'll send you the keys to inspect the apartment...”
  Since the landlords (allegedly) live abroad, you will be asked to send money to see the apartment. Behind this is simply fraud.

In case you encounter difficulties with your landlord or another kind of legal conflict you may turn to the Students’ Union (AStA) (sozial.referat@asta.hhu.de).

If you encounter financial difficulties you may also apply for Wohngeld (housing subsidy) with the municipality. It is granted if you can provide evidence that your income is very low. The limit is calculated for students in each individual case. All information as well as application documents can be found on the websites of the municipality (in German only).

In case you have further questions on accommodation, please do not hesitate to contact us (international-students@hhu.de).

• Rent
  Average rent (2026): 15,38 EUR/m². It is tipically around 300 to 1000 euros per month, depending on the location and whether you live alone or in a shared accommodation. In addition, a deposit amounting to three months’ rent is usually required. Many flats are unfurnished, so you may expect additional costs for furniture and household items.
• Groceries
  Students should expect to spend around 250–350 euros a month. Buying groceries at the supermarket is recommended, as it can help reduce costs.
• Semester fee
  A semester fee is mandatory for all students. The Deutschlandticket, which allows you to use regional public transport throughout Germany, is included in the semester fee.
• Broadcasting fee
  The payment of a broadcasting fee is legally required and it costs 18,36 euros per month per household. In shared flats, it is usually split among the residents.
• Health insurance
  Health insurance costs around 145 euros per month and depends on the type of insurance and the provider.
• Residence permit
  The residence permit costs around 80 to 100 euros per permit, depending on the city you live in.
• Additional costs
  A personal bank account and personal expenses (such as clothing, free time, sport). The amount depends on your individual lifestyle.