Students & Housing Costs: 54 Percent of Income

According to the European statistics office Eurostat, households are considered overburdened by housing costs when they must spend more than 40 percent of their disposable income on housing – even after deducting possible housing allowances such as housing benefit. For students managing their own household, this applies to 65 percent, according to the data. Looking at all students – regardless of whether they still live with their parents or with others – 28 percent are considered overburdened.

Definition of Overburden and Income Situation

Students managing their own household are defined as adult students who live alone or exclusively with other students or trainees. Half of students managing their own household have a net equivalent income of less than 963 euros per month, according to the data. The figure describes the median: one half has less income available, the other more.

Students earn the largest share of their income themselves. On average, 45 percent of their income comes from employment. For all students combined, income was distributed somewhat differently: on average, 43 percent of their income came from earned income, according to the report.

Composition of Students' Income

Another 29 percent comes from private support, such as maintenance payments from parents or relatives. BAföG benefits and scholarships account for an average of 14 percent, other income such as child benefits or survivor's pensions 12 percent.

„Viele Studierende verfügen über ein insgesamt geringes Einkommen. Große Teile ihrer Einkünfte beziehen Studierende aus eigener Erwerbstätigkeit“, heißt es in der Mitteilung. „Das liegt auch daran, dass sie sich in einer Lebensphase befinden, in der sie in ihre Ausbildung und somit in ihr späteres Berufsleben investieren“, schreiben die Statistikerinnen und Statistiker.

The figures come from the European Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) 2025, which is conducted in Germany as part of the Microcensus. The publisher is the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).