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When you move to Germany, one of the first and most consequential decisions you will face is whether to rent a furnished or an unfurnished apartment. On the surface it sounds simple. In practice, the two options involve very different cost structures, contract types, levels of upfront effort, and long-term commitment. Getting this decision right early can save you thousands of euros and weeks of unnecessary stress.
Germany's rental market has its own rules. "Unfurnished" here often means something more extreme than in other countries: many apartments are rented without a fitted kitchen, without light fixtures, and sometimes without curtain rails. A furnished apartment, by contrast, typically means you can arrive with your suitcase and start living immediately. For expats, professionals on assignment, or anyone relocating to a German city for the first time, that distinction matters enormously.
This guide compares both options across every dimension that affects your decision: what's included, what it costs, how the contracts work, and which type of person each option suits. By the end, you will know exactly which path is right for your move.
Key takeaways
- Furnished apartments cost 20 to 40% more per month, but require no upfront investment in furniture or appliances.
- Unfurnished can mean no kitchen in Germany. Always confirm what is included before signing.
- The break-even point between the two options is typically around 12 months, after which unfurnished becomes cheaper overall.
- Furnished mid-term contracts are fixed-term and end automatically. Unfurnished contracts are usually open-ended with a three-month notice period.
- The deposit is capped at three months of cold rent for both types. Furnished does not increase this cap.
What a furnished apartment includes in Germany
A furnished apartment (möbliert) in Germany means the landlord provides everything you need to live normally from day one. The standard set of items varies by listing, but the typical furnished apartment in the mid-term rental market includes the following.
Furniture and sleeping
- Bed and mattress: a full-size bed, usually a double, with mattress included.
- Wardrobe or built-in storage: sufficient for clothes and everyday items.
- Sofa and seating: living area furnished with a sofa, chairs, and often a coffee table.
- Dining table and chairs: for everyday eating and working from home.
- Desk and chair: increasingly standard in professional and mid-term rentals.
Kitchen and appliances
- Fitted kitchen (Einbauküche): fridge, oven or hob, and often a dishwasher and microwave.
- Kitchenware: pots, pans, cutlery, crockery, and glasses in most mid-term listings.
- Washing machine: either in the apartment or in a shared laundry room.
Utilities and connectivity
Many furnished mid-term rentals in Germany bundle running costs into a single monthly price. This typically includes heating, electricity, water, and internet. Some listings also include the GEZ broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag). Always check the listing carefully, as inclusions vary.
💡 Tip: Ask the landlord for an itemised breakdown of what the monthly price covers. Knowing whether electricity and internet are included will help you compare listings fairly and budget accurately from the start.
What an unfurnished apartment means in Germany
Unfurnished (unmöbliert) in Germany goes further than in many other countries. It is one of the most important things for newcomers to understand before searching.
An unfurnished apartment in Germany can mean:
- No furniture at all: no bed, no sofa, no table.
- No fitted kitchen: the previous tenant often takes the kitchen with them when they leave. You may rent an apartment with blank walls where the kitchen once stood.
- No lighting: just bare ceiling cables. You buy and fit your own fixtures.
- No curtain rails: the tenant is expected to install their own window coverings.
This is not unusual. It reflects a long-standing German rental tradition where tenants invest in their living space for the long term. A tenant who lives in the same apartment for ten years naturally wants their own kitchen and their own setup. The problem for newcomers is that this investment takes time and money. Fitting out a typical unfurnished apartment in a German city from scratch can cost between 3,000 and 6,000 EUR, and that is before you account for weeks of deliveries and installation appointments.
⚠ Warning: Never assume an unfurnished apartment in Germany includes a kitchen. Always ask explicitly before viewing. In some markets, particularly Berlin, it is common for listings to state "kitchen available for takeover" (Küche zur Übernahme), meaning you pay the outgoing tenant to buy their kitchen. This can add 1,000 to 4,000 EUR to your move-in costs.
Side-by-side comparison
The table below covers the six dimensions that matter most when choosing between the two options in Germany.
| Dimension | Furnished (möbliert) | Unfurnished (unmöbliert) |
|---|---|---|
| What's included | Furniture, appliances, kitchen, often utilities and Wi-Fi | Walls, floors, windows. Often no kitchen, no lighting, no appliances |
| Upfront cost | Low. Deposit only (max 3 months cold rent) | High. Deposit plus 3,000 to 6,000 EUR for furniture and kitchen |
| Monthly cost | 20 to 40% higher than comparable unfurnished. Often includes utilities | Lower base rent. Utilities billed separately on top |
| Who it suits | Expats, professionals on assignment, project workers, anyone staying 1 to 18 months | Long-term residents, families, people who already own furniture, stays of 2 or more years |
| Contract type | Usually fixed-term (Zeitmietvertrag). Ends automatically. Cannot be terminated early without agreement | Usually open-ended. Tenant can give three months' notice at any time (§ 573c BGB) |
| Flexibility | High flexibility to leave at end of contract with no furniture to move or sell | Three months' notice required. Moving out means selling, storing, or relocating furniture |
The choice comes down to one core question: how long are you staying? If the answer is less than 12 to 18 months, furnished is almost always the better financial and practical option. If you are committing to two or more years, unfurnished typically wins on cost once the initial investment is absorbed.
At a glance: pros and cons
This side-by-side view highlights the most practical pros and cons for each option when moving to Germany.
Furnished apartment
- ✓ Move in from day one
- ✓ Low upfront cash needed
- ✓ Utilities often included in one price
- ✓ No furniture to sell when you leave
- ✓ Fixed-term contract ends cleanly
- ✗ Higher monthly rent
- ✗ Someone else chose the furniture
- ✗ Less scope to personalise the space
Unfurnished apartment
- ✓ Lower monthly rent
- ✓ Full control over layout and quality
- ✓ Better long-term value (2+ years)
- ✓ Larger pool of available apartments
- ✗ 3,000 to 6,000 EUR upfront to furnish
- ✗ Often no kitchen included
- ✗ Weeks of coordination on arrival
- ✗ Furniture to sell or move when leaving
Cost comparison and break-even
The most common question is: which option actually costs less? The answer depends entirely on how long you stay. The monthly rent premium for a furnished apartment looks significant. But when you add the upfront furnishing cost for an unfurnished apartment, furnished is often cheaper for the first year.
Typical rent ranges in major German cities (2026)
These are approximate ranges for a one-bedroom apartment. Furnished prices typically include utilities; unfurnished prices are cold rent only.
| City | Furnished (all-in, approx.) | Unfurnished cold rent (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin | 1,400 to 2,000 EUR/month | 950 to 1,400 EUR/month |
| Munich | 1,900 to 2,800 EUR/month | 1,500 to 2,100 EUR/month |
| Hamburg | 1,300 to 1,900 EUR/month | 900 to 1,300 EUR/month |
| Frankfurt | 1,500 to 2,200 EUR/month | 1,100 to 1,600 EUR/month |
Monthly rent premium: furnished vs. unfurnished
This chart shows the approximate monthly premium you pay for a furnished one-bedroom apartment over a comparable unfurnished one in each city. The furnished price includes utilities; the unfurnished price does not.
Note: premium includes the value of bundled utilities in furnished pricing. Actual premium on base rent alone is lower.
Break-even example
The following example is illustrative and based on a one-bedroom apartment in a major German city. It shows the total cost of each option over time, including upfront furnishing costs for the unfurnished apartment.
| Item | Furnished | Unfurnished |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly payment (all-in example) | 1,450 EUR | 1,050 EUR |
| One-time furnishing and setup | 0 EUR | 4,800 EUR |
| Total cost at 6 months | 8,700 EUR | 11,100 EUR |
| Total cost at 12 months | 17,400 EUR | 17,400 EUR |
| Total cost at 24 months | 34,800 EUR | 30,000 EUR |
In this example the break-even point is 12 months. Before 12 months, furnished costs less in total. After 12 months, unfurnished becomes cheaper. The exact break-even in your case depends on your city, the specific apartments, and how much you spend on furnishing.
ℹ Info: The deposit is not included in these totals because it is refundable. The legal cap is three months of cold rent for both furnished and unfurnished apartments under § 551 BGB. For furnished apartments this is typically calculated on the base rent, not the all-in monthly price.
Contract and legal differences
The contract structure is where furnished and unfurnished diverge most significantly in Germany. Understanding this before you sign protects you from surprises.
Furnished: fixed-term temporary use contracts
Most furnished apartments in Germany are rented under a contract for temporary residential use. This is a fixed-term agreement with a defined start and end date. The contract ends automatically at the agreed date. You do not need to give notice. The landlord cannot extend it indefinitely without your consent.
Under § 549 Para. 2 No. 1 BGB, apartments rented for temporary use are exempt from several standard tenant protections, including the Mietpreisbremse rent cap. This is why landlords of furnished temporary apartments can charge a furnishing surcharge (Möblierungszuschlag) on top of the base rent. The surcharge should reflect the current value of the furniture, spread over its useful life.
Early termination of a fixed-term contract is generally not possible unless both parties agree or an extraordinary reason applies (such as the landlord failing to provide access or a serious health hazard). If your plans change mid-contract, speak to the platform or landlord about a mutual termination agreement.
Unfurnished: open-ended contracts
Most unfurnished apartments in Germany are rented under open-ended contracts (unbefristeter Mietvertrag). These continue until one party gives notice. As a tenant, you can terminate at any time with three months' notice in writing, regardless of how long you have lived there (§ 573c BGB). The notice period for landlords is longer and increases with the length of tenancy: three months for stays up to five years, six months after five years, and nine months after eight years.
Open-ended contracts provide strong security of tenure, which is valuable if you want to stay long-term. The Mietpreisbremse rent cap applies in designated tight-market areas, limiting starting rent to a maximum of 10% above the local comparable rent (Mietspiegel).
Deposit rules: the same for both
For cash deposits, the legal cap is three months of net cold rent under § 551 BGB. This applies equally to furnished and unfurnished apartments. The furniture does not increase the permitted deposit. Tenants have a statutory right to pay the deposit in three equal monthly instalments. The landlord must hold the deposit in a separate interest-bearing account, and the interest belongs to the tenant. Return of the deposit after moving out can legally take up to six months to allow time for utility bill reconciliation and damage assessment.
💡 Tip: Always complete a written handover protocol (Übergabeprotokoll) with photos at move-in and move-out. This is especially important for furnished apartments where the condition of furniture and appliances is part of what you are responsible for.
Who should choose a furnished apartment
A furnished apartment is the right choice in the following situations. If more than one of these applies to you, the case for furnished becomes very strong.
- You are arriving from abroad: setting up an unfurnished apartment while managing a relocation, visa applications, and a new job is genuinely difficult. Furnished removes the biggest logistical burden.
- Your stay is less than 12 to 18 months: below the break-even point, furnished is cheaper in total once furnishing costs are included.
- Your start date is fixed: a new job or project with a defined start date means you need housing that works from arrival. Furnished apartments are available immediately.
- You are on a probationary period or short assignment: if your contract or assignment could end early, furnished gives you an exit at the end of the lease without furniture to deal with.
- You are in a city for the first time: renting furnished while you learn the neighbourhoods and commuting patterns is a common and practical approach before committing to a longer-term unfurnished lease.
- You travel for work and need a reliable base: the all-in pricing of furnished rentals makes budgeting simple and predictable.
- You do not want to manage utility contracts: setting up electricity, internet, and heating contracts individually takes time and requires German-language communication. Bundled furnished rentals handle this for you.
Wunderflats specialises in furnished mid-term rentals in Germany, with contracts designed for expats and professionals. Listings include verified inventory lists and English-language support, which reduces the administrative burden significantly when you are new to the country.
Who should choose an unfurnished apartment
An unfurnished apartment is the better choice in the following situations. The longer your planned stay, the stronger the case becomes.
- You are planning to stay for two or more years: beyond the break-even point, the lower monthly rent of an unfurnished apartment saves significant money over time.
- You already own furniture: if you are moving within Germany, or shipping furniture from abroad, the upfront investment is reduced or eliminated.
- You have a family and need specific storage or child-friendly setups: unfurnished gives you full control over furniture placement, safety, and the quality of beds and sofas.
- You work from home and have ergonomic requirements: an unfurnished apartment lets you choose your own desk, chair, and monitor setup.
- You want the security of an open-ended contract: the strong tenant protections of the German tenancy system are fully available with an unfurnished open-ended lease.
- You want to personalise your space: unfurnished lets you choose your own style, layout, and quality of fittings.
- You have time to set up before starting work: if you have a few weeks before your job begins, the coordination effort of furnishing an apartment is manageable.
ℹ Info: A common approach for expats is to start with a furnished apartment for the first three to six months while settling in, then transition to an unfurnished apartment once you know your preferred neighbourhood and have a clearer picture of your long-term plans.
FAQs about furnished vs. unfurnished apartments in Germany
Is a furnished apartment more expensive than an unfurnished one in Germany?
Yes. Furnished apartments in Germany typically cost 20 to 40% more per month than comparable unfurnished apartments. The higher price reflects furniture use, utilities often bundled into one payment, and the flexibility of shorter contracts. However, when you factor in the upfront cost of furnishing an empty apartment (typically 3,000 to 6,000 EUR), furnished can work out cheaper for stays of up to around 12 months.
What does 'unfurnished' mean in Germany?
In Germany, unfurnished (unmöbliert) can mean more than just no sofa. Many apartments are rented without a fitted kitchen (Einbauküche), and sometimes without light fixtures or curtain rails. Always confirm what is included before signing.
Can I terminate a furnished rental contract early in Germany?
It depends on the contract type. Furnished mid-term rentals are usually fixed-term agreements that end automatically at the agreed date and cannot be terminated early without mutual agreement or an extraordinary reason. Open-ended contracts give tenants a statutory three-month notice right.
How much deposit can a landlord charge for a furnished apartment in Germany?
The legal maximum deposit (Kaution) is three months of net cold rent (Nettokaltmiete), regardless of whether the apartment is furnished or unfurnished. The furniture itself does not increase this cap. Tenants have the right to pay the deposit in three equal monthly instalments under § 551 BGB.
Does Germany's rent brake (Mietpreisbremse) apply to furnished apartments?
The Mietpreisbremse applies in principle to furnished apartments rented for an indefinite period. However, furnished apartments rented for temporary use under § 549 Para. 2 No. 1 BGB are exempt. Landlords of temporary furnished rentals may charge a furnishing surcharge (Möblierungszuschlag) on top of the base rent. The rent brake has been extended through 31 December 2029.
What is typically included in a furnished apartment in Germany?
A furnished apartment in Germany typically includes a bed and mattress, wardrobe, sofa, dining table and chairs, a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, oven, and often a dishwasher, a washing machine, and lighting. Many mid-term furnished rentals also include utilities, internet, and sometimes the GEZ broadcasting fee in one monthly price.
Who should choose an unfurnished apartment in Germany?
Unfurnished apartments suit people planning to stay for two or more years, those who already own furniture, families who need specific storage and child-friendly setups, and anyone who wants to personalise their living space. The lower monthly rent becomes an advantage over the long term once the upfront furnishing cost is absorbed.
How long does it take to break even between furnished and unfurnished?
In a typical example where a furnished apartment costs around 400 EUR more per month and furnishing an empty apartment costs around 4,800 EUR, the break-even point is roughly 12 months. Before that point, furnished is the cheaper total option. After that, unfurnished costs less overall. Your exact break-even depends on the specific rent difference and furnishing costs in your city.
Sources
- Investropa: Updated Rents in Germany (2026). investropa.com
- Investropa: Updated Rents in Berlin (2026). investropa.com
- HousingAnywhere: Unfurnished apartments in Germany: The pros and cons. housinganywhere.com
- iamexpat.de: Furnished vs. unfurnished rentals: Which is right for you? iamexpat.de
- Greenstay: What is included in fully furnished rentals in Germany? green-stay.eu
- Germany Unpacked: How Much Security Deposit Can a Landlord Legally Require in Germany? germanyunpacked.com
- Bundesgesetzblatt: Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB) § 549, § 551, § 573c. gesetze-im-internet.de