study in Munich
Germany's wealthiest city and its engineering capital — with the country's highest rents, and a tuition situation that differs between its two main universities.
Munich is where German industry concentrates: automotive, aerospace, electronics, insurance and a large technology sector, alongside two of the country's strongest universities. For engineering students it is the most direct route into that economy, with working-student positions at major firms genuinely available.
The city itself is affluent, orderly and close to the Alps — skiing and hiking are an hour away by train. It is also the most conservative and most German of the three cities here: less English in daily life, and a stronger expectation that you will learn the language.
The two costs to understand before applying: Munich has the highest rents in Germany, and TUM — unlike almost every other public university in Bavaria — now charges non-EU students tuition.
Two major universities with different fee positions. Read the fee page of the specific institution, not a general article about Germany.
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Germany's leading technical university; engineering, computer science, natural sciences and medicine. Charges non-EU tuition since winter 2024/25.Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Very large classical university; medicine, law, physics, economics and humanities. No general tuition fee.Munich University of Applied Sciences (HM)
Applied and practice-oriented; engineering, computer science, business and design.Munich is the most expensive city in Germany to live in — housing above all. If you attend TUM, tuition sits on top of that; if you attend LMU or the applied university, it does not. That single institutional difference can outweigh every other cost comparison.
Against the other cities we cover in Germany, Munich is one of the more expensive. That is our reading of this country’s own spread, not a published index.
The blocked account you must fund before the visa is issued holds €11,904 for the year (€992 a month).
The practical texture of the place — what a week actually looks like.
Climate
Cold winters with real snow, warm summers, and the Alpine föhn wind. Colder than Berlin, and closer to the mountains.
Getting around
An excellent U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus network. Semester contributions include discounted transit; check what your university's covers.
Housing
The most expensive and most competitive market in Germany. Student dormitories are the only affordable route for most — apply the moment you are admitted.
Working
140 full days or 280 half days a year. Working-student roles at major engineering and technology firms are genuinely accessible here.
Language
Less English in daily life than Berlin. Many master's programmes are English-taught, but living and working here rewards German quickly.
The Alps
An hour away by regional train. Hiking and skiing are ordinary weekend activities rather than expeditions.
TUM has charged non-EU students tuition since winter semester 2024/25 — roughly €2,000–3,000 a semester for bachelor's and €4,000–6,000 for master's, on top of the semester contribution.
LMU Munich and Munich University of Applied Sciences do not charge general tuition. So two students in the same city, on the same street, can face a difference of thousands of euros a year purely from which institution admitted them. Exemptions at TUM exist — for EU citizens, for graduates of German schools, and for a limited share of hardship scholarships — but do not assume you qualify. Check the specific programme's fee page before you accept.
Munich is one of 3 cities we cover in Germany. Tap any pin to compare — the city you pick moves your total cost more than almost any other choice you make.