The monthly cost of living at a glance
During your studies, you will have to think about a number of expenses: semester fees, housing costs, health insurance, broadcasting fees, meals, cell phone contract and expenses for your leisure activities.
To make your study stay in Dortmund an unforgettable experience, you should plan enough financial resources to cover your costs and live with peace of mind. The total monthly cost of living in Dortmund is roughly estimated at
| approx. 450 - 600 € | Housing costs(living in Dortmund)(Opens in a new tab) |
| approx. 150 € | Catering (food etc.) |
| approx. 130 € |
Health, accident and liability insurance |
| approx. 18 € | Broadcasting fee (see below) |
| approx. 20 € | Cell phone, Internet |
| approx. 30 € | Working materials, learning materials |
| approx. 60 € | Leisure, culture, sport |
| approx. 50 € |
Reserve for the semester fee(Opens in a new tab) (approx. €300 per semester) |
You should have €992 per month at your disposal. Further information on the website of the BAföG office(Opens in a new tab) .
Please note that this list does not include any fixed costs, but is an approximate figure that can change at any time (the trend is upwards).
Housing costs in Dortmund
The rental costs for a fully furnished room in a student hall of residence or in a private apartment in Dortmund and the surrounding area vary between €450 and €600.
This makes living in Dortmund very affordable compared to other cities in Germany! If you would like a larger apartment, the costs are of course higher. Furnished rooms or apartments are also more expensive and not very popular in Germany.
Tip: For unfurnished rooms, you can quickly and cheaply buy used furniture in very good condition - online or in special second-hand stores. You can often also buy the furnishings directly from the previous tenant - take a chance and just ask. You can then negotiate the price.
Student hall of residence or shared flat: tips & information on finding accommodation in Dortmund(Opens in a new tab)
Broadcasting fee for students
The broadcasting fee must be paid by all persons living in Germany. The fee is charged per apartment. The broadcasting fee must be paid for each apartment, even if this apartment is occupied exclusively by foreign students (including exchange students or scholarship holders) and you do not own a television or radio. The monthly costs currently amount to approx. 18 €.
Do you live in a shared apartment?
In shared flats (WGs), only one person needs to be registered, as a shared flat is considered a household. The other flatmates must inform the authority that one person is already registered and paying the contributions - the person paying must be named on the reply form and their membership number must also be provided. This is done using an online form. The flatmates are then obliged to ensure that the paying person is compensated - in other words, they share the contribution.