🇩🇪 Germany · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Bonn? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
One-bed apartment, Beuel or the outer districtsEUR 600–850 / month cold rent
City average asking rent≈ EUR 11.90 / m² in early 2026, up around 6% on the year before
Deutschlandticket — all local and regional transport nationwideEUR 63 / month
Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee)EUR 18.36 / month per household, not per person
Good to know
Population
Around 340,000 on the city's own register at the start of 2025; about 323,000 on the census-based official count for end-2024 — Germany publishes both and they do not agree
Languages
German, with Rhenish inflection; English and French unusually widespread because of the UN campus, the ministries and Deutsche Welle
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Time zone
CET (GMT+1); CEST (GMT+2) from late March to late October
Power plug
Types C and F, 230 V / 50 Hz
Climate
Among Germany's mildest — sheltered in the Rhine valley below the Siebengebirge, winters rarely freeze hard, and the cherry blossom now opens in late March
Driving side
Right
Federal city
Bundesstadt under the 1994 Berlin/Bonn Act — six federal ministries keep their first official seat here, reinforced by a supplementary agreement negotiated in 2024
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Bonn checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Bonn
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.