Cost of living in Frankfurt for students
A student in Frankfurt needs about €1,235 a month with a WG room: €702 warm rent plus about €533 for food, health insurance, transport, the broadcasting fee and other costs. Frankfurt ranks 2 of 38 cities in our data for WG rent, €213 above the median.
- WG room
- €702
- warm, per month · rank 2 of 38
- Own apartment
- €734
- 30 m², warm, per month
- Typical budget
- €1,235
- per month, WG room (€1,267 with an apartment)
- WG rent vs BAföG allowance
- +€322
- rent is above the €380 allowance
Your budget in Frankfurt
The calculator is set to Frankfurt. Change your housing, transport and food to see your own number, or compare it with another city.
Frankfurt am Main · WG room
€1,235/ month
≈ €14,822 per year
- Rent (incl. utilities)€702.00
- Food & groceries€210.00
- Health & care insurance€147.00
- Transport€37.80
- Rundfunkbeitrag€18.36
- Leisure, phone & other€120.00
Rent here is €322 above the €380 BAföG housing allowance.
Estimates from averages, not quotes. Your rent, insurer and habits will differ.
How Frankfurt compares
Only rent changes from city to city in our data. Food, insurance, transport and the other lines are national averages, so they add the same €533 everywhere.
| City | WG room | Typical budget |
|---|---|---|
| Frankfurtthis city | €702 | €1,235 |
| Median of all cities38 cities | €490 | €1,023 |
| Chemnitzcheapest | €274 | €807 |
| Münchenmost expensive | €790 | €1,323 |
Cities with a similar WG rent: Hamburg (€678), Köln (€641), Heidelberg (€633). See all 38 cities.
Does the visa’s blocked-account amount cover Frankfurt?
A German student visa requires proof of €11,904 a year, which is €992 a month. A typical budget in Frankfurt is €1,235, about €243 more each month. The visa amount is a minimum you have to prove, not a budget, so plan for any difference from savings, family support, a scholarship or a part-time job.
Registering your address in Frankfurt
Registering your address is one of the first errands after you move. Here is what the city itself says.
Where to check in Frankfurt
You must register within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 Bundesmeldegesetz). Frankfurt publishes its appointment and online options on its own page: Anmeldung einer Wohnung, Stadt Frankfurt am Main. Read it before you book, because the rules for appointments and online registration are the city’s to set.
Universities in Frankfurt
- Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
- Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
- Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
- Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main
- Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste – Städelschule
A selection, not every institution in the city.
Settling in and finding work in Frankfurt
Student living costs in Frankfurt, answered
How much does a student need per month in Frankfurt?
About €1,235 with a WG room: €702 warm rent plus about €533 for food, statutory health insurance, the student Deutschlandticket (where your university offers it), the broadcasting fee and other costs. With your own apartment it is about €1,267.
How much is a WG room in Frankfurt?
€702 a month warm in our data, which is rank 2 of 38 cities and €213 above the median of €490. A 30 m² apartment is €734.
Is the BAföG housing allowance enough in Frankfurt?
No. The allowance is €380 a month, so an average WG room in Frankfurt leaves about €322 a month to cover from other income.
Does the blocked-account amount cover living costs in Frankfurt?
Not fully. The visa requires proof of €11,904 a year, or €992 a month. A typical budget in Frankfurt is €1,235, about €243 more. The visa amount is a minimum you must prove, not a budget.
How do I register my address in Frankfurt?
You must register within two weeks of moving in (§ 17 Bundesmeldegesetz). For Frankfurt’s appointment and online options, use the city’s own page, linked in the registration section above.
Where the numbers come from
- MLP Studentenwohnreport 2025Warm rent for a 30 m² apartment and a 20 m² WG room in 38 university cities
- 22nd Sozialerhebung, Deutsches StudierendenwerkAverage student spending on food, adjusted to 2026
Rent data updated 21 September 2026. The typical budget uses the calculator’s defaults: a WG room, the student Deutschlandticket, average food, statutory health insurance and the broadcasting fee. These are planning figures, not a quote, and the city facts above are not legal advice.
Also see: Berlin · Munich · All cities