Accommodation

Finding accommodation in Cologne can be tedious and take a long time. To alleviate this, you can also have the possibility to book our guest houses for a limited time.

Flat hunting and accommodation costs

Flats become more affordable in the city periphery and the list below shows average prices per m² (taken from Mietspiegel in 2022) for selected neighbourhoods close to the MPIPZ.

Because many other postdocs and PhD students work at the institute on a temporary basis, inform a contact person in your department or the postdoc coordinator that you are looking for an apartment, and they can inform you of any available flats after staff move out.

Here is a list of useful links for your search in the internet

www.immobilienscout.de                                           www.studenten-wg.de/

www.immowelt.de                                                        www.wg-gesucht.de/

www.immonet.de/

 

Note: in adverts, 3-room apartment means 2 bedrooms and 1 living room.

Once you have found an apartment of interest, you should call the contact person immediately to make a viewing appointment. Most landlords will ask you how long you intend to stay in Germany and what guarantees you can provide for monthly rent. The personnel department can give you a confirmation letter that best serves as guarantee for your prospective landlord.

For your new flat, please be prepared to pay 2–3 times your monthly rent as a deposit, i.e. when you move in you will have to pay this deposit plus the first rent in advance. It is usual to pay a deposit to cover any repairs for damage in the apartment caused by the tenant when he/she leaves. This sum is deposited in a special savings account. Arrange this together with the landlord or obtain a receipt for the savings account. When you leave, the deposit will be returned to you with interest. However, any costs for repairs or renovation will be deducted. The exact rules and regulations on this should be included in the rental contract that you will receive for signature from the agent or landlord. You can also expect that the apartment will have no kitchen fixtures, so please also budget for this cost.

Please do not transfer money before you have received a key, met the landlord or signed a contract.

Generally, the water supply is included within the rent, but electricity and gas supplies need to be contracted separately after moving in.

Guest House

For your first days in Germany you may also ask to rent an MPIPZ apartment or guest room for a maximum of 6 months. Please contact Guest House Administrator for booking. In certain months (e.g. September/ October) the demand is quite high, so please contact us well in advance. Prices vary according to the length of stay.

 

If you stay in an MPIPZ guest room, the key for your room is deposited at the Institute’s front gate, unless you have made different arrangements with your contact person.