Moving to Munich: What do you need to know?

Munich is a beautiful city in the south of Germany that attracts many people every year. Some people who come to Munich never want to leave. So we have put together the best tips to make your move to Munich easier.

Finding the perfect apartment in Munich: Our tips

First things first: Munich is one of the most expensive cities in Germany, rents are anything but cheap because living space is scarce.

Therefore, our first tip for a successful apartment search in Munich is: Be willing to compromise. Even if you have precise ideas about your dream apartment, it’s worth lowering your expectations a little. So does central with a balcony quickly become central or with a balcony? Unfortunately, you can’t have everything, most of the time.

Because living space is so scarce and rents are so high, you usually have to deal with estate agents when looking for an apartment in Munich. And you need to be well prepared if you want to win the bid.

You should have these documents with you:

• Identity card
• Self-disclosure
• Employment contract and/or proof of income
• Schufa information
• Certificate from the previous tenant
• a rental guarantee if required

You can also reduce this effort if you are lucky enough to be able to view an apartment privately or by word of mouth, which in the best case has not yet been publicly advertised.

And let’s stay with these private options for a moment: In big cities like Munich, apartment swaps are becoming increasingly popular. If you want to move within a city and want to upsize, downsize or change districts, you should look online for people who are planning something similar.

In the best case, you swap apartments: No long apartment viewings, no estate agents, less stress.

Joining a cooperative can be just as rewarding.

Contacting the Munich property management company can also be worthwhile, as there are often rental offers available for those looking. Basically, anything that deviates somewhat from the traditional route is a good idea, because many people are looking for the ideal Munich apartment.

If you are still looking…

If you have relatives, friends or acquaintances in Munich, you should take advantage of this and let them know that you are looking.

Social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram and the like can also be worthwhile. A post lets your entire list of friends know what you are looking for and can be helpful if necessary.

Joining appropriate groups and forums can also help.

The most expensive and cheapest districts in Munich

As mentioned at the beginning, Munich is one of the most expensive cities in Germany. Some even call it the most expensive. Reason enough to take a closer look at local prices. A square meter in Munich costs an average of 15 euros.

We show you the most and least expensive districts:

Does it have to be the center? After all, Munich is also a very well-connected city and you should keep that in mind when looking at rental properties on the outskirts of the city. As a rule, you can easily get to and from the city center by public transport and save on rent.

If you can’t find an apartment in Munich right away, you can easily find accommodation at SMARTments business in Parkstadt-Schwabing and continue your search on the real estate market from there. SMARTments business is modern temporary living with fully furnished apartments, high-speed Internet and a kitchenette.

Dealing with the authorities quickly

If you move to a new city, you must of course register with the city administration. You usually have a period of 2 weeks to do this. In Munich, you can request an appointment for the new registration or re-registration directly on this website. There you can also find out which documents you need to prepare and bring with you, as well as other useful information.

Please note: Anyone who does not register or re-register within these 2 weeks is acting in breach of the regulations and may even face a fine.

• Good to know: As the offices in large cities are generally overcrowded, you should ideally try to make an appointment a few weeks to 3 months in advance. This is because there may be longer waiting times.

Traffic in Munich

As already mentioned, Munich is very well connected and you can easily get from A to B by public transport. And we even recommend it, because the streets in Munich are overcrowded, which causes regular traffic chaos. Almost every second household in Munich owns at least one car. With a population of around 1.45 million, you can imagine how many cars are on the road every day.

Munich city center is divided into parking zones accordingly. As a resident, you should therefore apply for a parking permit. But don’t worry, Munich has 6 subway lines, 11 streetcar lines and 66 bus lines. And some of them also run at night. In addition, Munich offers rental bikes, so-called “Call a Bike”. Since 2010, the city has also been considered Germany’s most attractive city for cyclists. So there are many routes through Munich.

All done, what else do you need to know?

Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn the local dialect before moving to Munich. Because it’s fun and interesting, even though hardly anyone in Munich speaks Bavarian anymore.