Re: Cost of Living in Stuttgart
posted by Frank (confidential) in Stuttgart forum
Sorry for the late reply - I didn't know about this forum earlier.
It might not be of interest to you any more, but I'll add to the above replies for the benefit of future readers:- Rent is as mentioned above, but on top of that you need to pay another EUR200/month for utilities (energy for heating is not cheap). Also, furnished apartments are rare and cost more, so you might have to buy or bring your own stuff. The kitchen furniture and appliances are often provided in rental flats.
- A three months deposit is common in Germany, so incl. the first month rent you need to pay four months upfront.
- Monthly tickets for public transport cost EUR60-120 depending on how far you live from work. School kids cost about half of that and below 6 years can travel for free.
- Basic groceries are as above, but you might need more money for (and search a bit to find where to buy) out-of-the-ordinary stuff like South Asian ingredients and spices, or Halal meat. Also, eating out is quite expensive, starting at EUR10 per person per meal.
- There are subsidized child care options (around EUR250/month per child), but they often have long waiting lists and no English spoken, so you might end up having to use much costlier private options.
- Travelling (to the many famous places in Europe, or back to your home country) can also take a big part of your budget, but is of course heavily recommendable.Good luck,
Frank