How much does an apartment in Aachen cost? Prices, locations and answers

Aachen compared to Germany: Expensive or cheap?

Compared to Germany, Aachen is a medium-priced university city. That means: not cheap, but also far removed from the extremes that Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg offer.

By way of comparison, a room in a shared apartment costs around 790 EUR per month in Munich, around 702 EUR in Frankfurt am Main and around 542 EUR in Hamburg. According to IW Cologne, evaluated by Statista, these are the current averages for 2025. According to the same source, the city-wide average for a shared room in Aachen is around 402 EUR, which is a university of excellence with international appeal and over 44,000 students is comparatively moderate.

However, the city average is deceptive. Anyone who wants to live close to campus, i.e. around Campus West, which is relevant to most RWTH students on a daily basis, pays significantly more. Demand in these locations is consistently high and supply is limited. Affordable prices in Aachen are mainly found in peripheral areas such as Haaren, Fire or Forst, for which you then commute daily.

How much does a room in a shared apartment cost in Aachen?

Depending on the location and equipment, a shared room on the open market in Aachen costs between 400 and 600 EUR per month. This is confirmed by current listings on WG-gesucht: In central locations close to campus, such as the Pontviertel, people tend to be at the upper end of this range, in peripheral locations such as Laurensberg or Burtscheid, they tend to be at the lower end of this range. The citywide average value of around 402 EUR relates to a standardized 20-square-meter room and is therefore more likely to represent the cheaper segments.

These figures apply to furnished or partially furnished rooms. Anyone moving into an unfurnished room must factor in furnishing costs. Realistic basic equipment with bed, mattress, desk, chair and cupboard is at least 600 to 900 EUR when purchased new. In addition, there is a deposit of usually two months' rent and the option of additional costs being billed separately.

If you want to know how a shared room and a fully furnished apartment really relate to each other, taking into account all costs, you will find honest cost comparison specific figures.

How much does a student dormitory in Aachen cost?

The Studierendenwerk Aachen offers dormitory places at prices of around 300 to 450 EUR per month, depending on the complex, location and room type. This is the cheapest option on the Aachen market and is therefore in high demand. The waiting list is long and an application should ideally be submitted several months before the planned move in. There is no guarantee of a place.

If you get a place in a dormitory, you pay less than for almost any other option close to the campus. Anyone who doesn't get one or searches too late is faced with the free market and its higher prices. The article about The Good Shepherd as an alternative to student dormitories explains what makes more sense in this case than a long waiting process.

How much does a private apartment in Aachen cost?

If you want to rent your own unfurnished apartment in Aachen, you are in a different price segment. According to ImmoScout24, the average cold rental price in Aachen is around 10.18 EUR per square meter (Q3 2025), and up to around 14 EUR per square meter in popular locations close to the campus. A small apartment of 30 to 45 square meters in a location close to the campus usually costs between 400 and 650 EUR per month, depending on location, condition and equipment.

There are also additional costs, a deposit and, in the case of unfurnished apartments, the furnishing costs. Anyone who moves into an unfurnished apartment and does not yet have any furniture should realistically expect a total expenditure of around 2000 to 3000 EUR in the first month: deposit, first month's rent and basic furnishings combined. This is a significant barrier to entry, which is a real burden, particularly for international students and career starters without accumulated wealth.

How much do fully furnished apartments cost in Aachen?

Fully furnished apartments that are ready for immediate occupancy and include additional costs and Internet cost more in Aachen than unfurnished shared apartments, but offer a different starting point for real total cost accounting.

At The Good Shepherd on Campus West, prices for fully furnished apartments start at around 966 EUR per month. An overview of the most important categories:

On around 24 to 25 square meters, the STANDARD apartment offers full equipment for one person starting at around 970 EUR per month. The BALCONY apartment on 29 square meters with an outdoor area starting at around 966 EUR per month is also available for one person. The DELUXE apartment is 36 to 47 square meters and is designed for two people, with prices starting at around 1,118 EUR per month. The LOFT apartment offers generous ceiling heights of 50 to 52 square meters and an open gallery for two people from 1,466 EUR per month. The GARDEN apartment is located on the ground floor on 40 square meters with garden access for one person starting at 1,332 EUR per month. With 73.5 square meters, the NEW YORK apartment is the most spacious apartment for two people starting at 1,351 EUR per month. Finally, the PENTHOUSE apartment offers 106 to 112 square meters the top floor of the building for up to three people from around 2,421 EUR per month.

All prices include additional costs and internet. There are no hidden additional costs and no investment in equipment is required. Current availability and exact conditions can be found directly at https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment.

Where is the best place to live in Aachen?

The answer to this question depends on where you have to go every day and what you need in everyday life.

For RWTH students who spend most of their time at Campus West, the area surrounding Campus West is virtually the strongest location in the city. The distances to the university are short, supermarkets and the canteen are within walking distance, the university sports center is nearby, and the city center can be reached in ten minutes on foot. The downside: This location is sought after and therefore more expensive than peripheral districts.

The Pontviertel is a good alternative with a more lively atmosphere and a denser gastronomic and café scene. The campus trail is slightly longer than directly on Campus West, but can be reached by bike in five minutes.

The city center is primarily suitable for FH students in the city center or for people who represent urban city life via short campus routes. For RWTH students on Campus West, the city center means a daily commute of twenty to twenty-five minutes on foot or a bus ride.

Quieter and slightly cheaper districts such as Burtscheid or Laurensberg offer more space for less money, but longer commutes. Anyone traveling without a car should plan this realistically. that Semesterticket makes these routes free of charge, but not shorter. A more detailed evaluation of all quarters can be found in the article on best residential areas for students in Aachen.

The honest answer: Is Aachen expensive?

Aachen is not expensive compared to major German cities such as Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg. But it is also not cheap if you want to live in one of the sought-after locations close to the campus. Anyone who wants to live well in Aachen, i.e. close to campus, fully equipped, without long waiting times and without surprising additional costs, realistically pays between 966 and 1,400 EUR per month for a fully furnished apartment.

Anyone who is willing to invest more time in searching, waiting for a shared flat and furnishing an apartment themselves can make do with a shared room starting at 400 EUR per month, with locations close to the campus tending more towards 500 to 600 EUR. How these two scenarios really relate to each other over the year is shown by Cost comparison in detail.

For international students, visiting students and young professionals who come to Aachen without furniture, without Schufa and without sufficient knowledge of German, the honest answer is different: The free rental market is structurally difficult to access, and a fully furnished apartment near the campus is often not the more expensive option, but the only realistically achievable option.

conclusion

Compared to German cities, Aachen is a moderate residential location, but locations close to campus come at a price. In good locations, rooms in shared apartments cost 450 to 600 EUR per month, fully furnished apartments start at the Good Shepherd on Campus West from around 966 EUR per month, including all additional costs and ready to move in immediately. If you honestly calculate all costs, you will find that the gap between the two options is significantly smaller in practice than the mere monthly price comparison would suggest.

If you want to see the currently available apartments and exact prices: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/apartment

For all other questions: https://guterhirte-wohnen.com/kontakt

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