In this article LifeX and some of its members share tips on how to navigate Munich's challenging housing market and how to find a community.

How to find a home in Munich and what you should know to make yourself a home

Finding a Home, and Feeling at Home in Munich

Munich consistently makes headlines as one of the cities with the highest quality of life. The city has something for everyone, it’s rich in arts, history, and culture. In addition to being a centrally located European hub, the picturesque city is right next to the alps. It’s no mystery why Germans and foreigners alike are flocking to live there, and why so many companies have headquarters there as well.


Dreamy city, tricky housing market

Over a quarter of the 1.5 million people calling Munich home are internationals from all over the world. The quality of life and great opportunities have created an undeniable appeal and strong international pull. It’s the most densely populated, and one of the fastest-growing cities in Germany.

Munich’s popularity has created a challenging housing market for those looking to settle in. A quick google search will show you that the barriers in the traditional rental market include cost, scarcity, and poor rental practices. If you’re foreign, chances are you not only face these difficulties but also language and bureaucratic hurdles.


Living and finding a home in Munich

We spoke to three of our members who have found their home at LifeX to hear their perspectives on settling in Munich. They each mentioned that despite the fact that it’s an international city, if you don’t have local connections and German language skills, the housing market is challenging. They have all managed to feel at home in Munich and are continuing on their integration journeys. At LifeX, we are so happy to be a part of that journey and to have them in our community! 

Sushant, a Product Manager from India working in the Fintech industry

We first spoke with Sushant, who has been living in Schwabing at a LifeX apartment for about a year and a half. He’s practically a local at this point, as he has been living in Munich for five years. He has plenty of experience with the rental market, and after living in many different flats, his impression is that, “whenever an apartment is available in Munich, it’s shared within personal networks, not many flats make it on to the open market. While it’s not a massive disadvantage to be foreign, it’s all about having connections that you often don’t have right away as a foreigner.” Once you make some friends and learn some German, the housing market can begin to open up.

Sushant is really big on community, so when it came time to find his next place in Munich, this was on the top of his mind. Community, and wanting to avoid the headache of house hunting, were the main reasons that he chose a co-living home with LifeX. He described how community can address the ‘missing piece’ when it comes to life in a new city, “For me personally, it’s not just an apartment, it’s the people, if I put the same amount of money into a studio apartment it wouldn’t be as nice, and I wouldn’t have the company, and friendly chit-chats in the kitchen which make it a lot nicer.” Co-living is a great fit for those who are new to the city, and also those who have been there for years, like Sushant.

Mrunmayee, a UI-UX Designer from India working for a start-up



We also chatted with Mrunmayee, who has been living in the Obergiesing area for just about a year. Despite how strange 2020 has been, she has gotten settled in and sees a future for herself in Munich, “I’ve been to lots of other cities in Germany, but I have fallen in love with Munich because of the people. I think that it has a good pace, it’s not too relaxed or too much of a ‘hustle bustle’ city.” She also credits her flatmates, many of whom are also international, with helping her feel settled in. “We’re in the same boat, we want to explore together, we even face the same problems and can help each other with advice. Meeting new cultures, new people, and really getting to know them has been good and an integral part.” She is enjoying life in Munich so much that she has started learning German. She knows she can get by in day-to-day life speaking English, but she is motivated to learn in order to become more integrated into the culture.

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Kinny, a Consultant from China working in a Consulting firm


Kinny is no stranger to international moves, originally she is from China, but she was living for many years in the US before moving to Munich. She’s been living in Neuhausen with LifeX since she arrived a year ago. It was a good option for her as she felt it would be, “pretty risky and complicated to rent an apartment before arriving at a new city you’ve never lived in.” She had never been to Munich before moving here, it was comforting to have her home sorted out before she arrived and that the process could be done in English.

Finding a home isn’t the only challenge people face when they move to a new city, it can also be difficult to meet people and find your community. Kinny mentioned how when you make a big move as a young professional most people you meet already have an existing friend group and a routine; it’s not like in college where you’re surrounded by people who are also new and looking to make friends. Despite the challenge, she has plenty of friends now, “Most of my close friends here in Munich are from LifeX, I actually didn’t know anyone when I moved here. Pretty much starting from day one you already have friends...it’s a great way to meet people in a country which is new to you.” Co-living is a great way to surround yourself with people who are interested in meeting others with an open mindset.


Home: a feeling and a place

Co-living is an excellent option for people from all walks of life. It makes housing approachable in difficult and inflexible markets, and most importantly it helps you feel at home. The peace of mind from knowing that your home is always ready for you, and you have welcoming flatmates is invaluable. Having a good foundation is really important when settling into a new country, city, or lifestyle. Feeling at home and having a home will certainly give you a continual boost as you navigate life!

What's It Like to Live in Munich as an Expat?

Member Spotlight: Meet Jr, An Australian Photographer Living In Germany


Jr moved to Munich in the summer of 2020 after travelling around Europe for his work as a Photographer. The Australian native is a super active person and an avid traveller and storyteller, which pairs very well with his line of work! Jr is always on the go, if he’s in Munich you’ll be sure to find him exploring the city and surrounding areas - in fact, all the photos of Munich in this post are taken by him. He’s been an amazing member of the LifeX community in Munich!

What’s your favourite thing about Munich?

Every time you walk around a corner it’s just so beautiful, the buildings, the colours, the food, the overall vibrance during the day. There are no ugly or dodgy parts of Munich; it's just beautiful from start to finish. I also love how green it is, there are parks everywhere, trees everywhere; I mean where else in central Europe can you go surfing in the city and see people riding their bikes with a surfboard rack. Lastly, the central location, if you looked at a map of Europe and put a dot in the middle it would be Munich or Zurich. I can be in the alps in 40 minutes or I can easily visit beautiful lakes, forests, Italy, or Switzerland. 

What will we catch you doing on the weekend?


It depends on the season! Bavaria is super pretty and there are lots of things to see around here, so if I’m not travelling I’ll be checking out the lakes and hikes. In the summer, I love to visit Italy and Greece, in the winter it’s probably going to be Austria and the Alps, or Switzerland.

What’s your favourite celebration or festival?


In Australia, it’s Australia Day, it’s the equivalent of 4th of July (in the US), it’s a big party where everyone just celebrates being Australian. People make Eskys (drink coolers) with an engine and drive around to give people drinks. In Germany, it’s the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas markets) everything there is handmade, the drinks, the food, you can buy gingerbread hearts and put someone’s name on it. You can drink mulled wine and sit by the fire - to me that is what Christmas was intended to be. Australia and North America seem to have lost sight of Christmas a bit, it’s now about gifts and having ‘more’. Here in Germany, it’s about having some wine by the fire with family and friends. I look forward to Christmas in Germany.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in Munich?


There is a place called Wagners which is a vegan food and juice bar which is right on the river, you can sit there, people watch, and enjoy some healthy food.




I’m slowly learning German using an app and I start proper classes next month. It’s hard because coming from Australia we have an informal way of speaking and in Germany, there is a correct way to say everything (masculine vs feminine, formal vs informal) and people aren’t afraid to correct you.


Slow walkers, especially if they are walking in the bike lane. People not indicating when driving. In Australia whenever you change lanes or turn you indicate it - it’s the law. Here in Germany you see a lot of people not doing it, especially on the autobahn.


I’m planning to get a tattoo in a few weeks of the symbol for no speed limit from the sign on the autobahn. So I don’t have it yet but I will soon! I’m waiting for the swimming season to be over then I’ll get it done.


Eating well and physical movement. If you’re eating pizza, burgers, and take out all the time it can really make your mood go down. I think if you plan to cook one good meal a day it can be really nice and something to look forward to. Whether it’s a walk in the morning or a bike in the evening, it can make a big difference to break up the day. Also having separate spaces for working/living/sleeping so you don’t blur the lines.

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Ivana is a Serbian VC investor in health tech who made Munich her unexpected home. Meet the international professionals in the LifeX community.

Meet Ivana: LifeX Munich Member & VC Investor

Member Spotlight: Meet Ivana, A Venture Capitalist Living In Munich


Ivana's been living in Munich for about two years now, and after living in many different cities she's finding it to be one of her favourite places! She's originally from Serbia and works as a Venture Capitalist in the Health Tech industry with startups all over the world. In her free time she's often travelling, but has enjoyed a slower pace of life staying mostly in Munich over the last year. We're super happy to have her as part of the LifeX Community in Munich!



What's you favourite thing about living in Munich?

It’s interesting because it was never really my plan to move to Munich, I’d lived in bigger cities and at the time I was thinking to move to Singapore or São Paulo. At the time, Munich seemed a bit too small to me. It’s funny because now that I live here it’s one of the things I appreciate the most about Munich. The fact that it’s so compact and liveable, I’m only five minutes away from the river. Now I’m thinking that I might stay and grow old in here, as funny as that sounds. You can’t really plan anything in life!



What’s your profession and what’s your favourite thing about your career?

I work in venture capital as an early-stage investor, so we invest in series A and B rounds. I focus on health tech, which I really like. I’m fascinated with the startup ecosystem and I love working closely with the companies; we have companies in Germany, the UK, and the US. We’re very hands-on as an investor, so we’re always thinking about how to help them grow and strategise. You see a lot of fascinating things, especially in healthcare, and I’m always speaking with interesting, intelligent people. It took me some time to settle into this field, I was an entrepreneur for some years, but I really feel I’ve found myself in this career. At the end of the day, it’s a people’s business, so my own entrepreneurial experiences help me empathise with the companies. 

I’m a personal growth junkie, so I’m always learning something new. I do speak German, but I’m still working on improving it so I’m completely fluent in a business setting. I’m always learning a lot for my job as a VC, with all the startups and health tech trends. There is a lot to learn, I’m really interested in psychology and mental health in general as well so I’m always reading about that.

Where would you spend all your time if you could?

If I had to pick, Lisbon would be my favourite place in the world, I was actually planning to move there, but ended up in Munich! I lived in Brazil for some years and when I came back to Europe, my plan was to move to Lisbon. Portugal is my favourite country, while I’m not living there, I do love to visit. I visited last year and did a yoga and surf retreat in the South and then spent a week in Lisbon. It was so great, hopefully, I can go back sometime soon.

Tips working from remote working/ working during Corona times?

I think it’s easier if you live with someone, so I feel lucky about that. It’s very important to give yourself limits, where you just stop working, whether it’s stopping at 18:00 or 21:00. Just make sure to have a stop time and go for a walk or call a friend so that your life doesn’t just become work. I got into that for a few months, and I still sometimes do, but I try not to!

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Are you also interested in a new home in Munich?

Before Corona, I used to travel a lot, most weekends I would be travelling actually. That’s kind of how I’ve spent the last 10-15 years! In a sense, I’m grateful that corona taught me that it’s nice to stay where you are sometimes. I do miss travelling but you know, Munich is also very nice, you can go to the English gardens, walk along the river. You know, it’s also nice to appreciate be where you are and not just always be on the go. I’ve learned to, ‘be where I am’ it took me some years but here I am!

It will always be my home country, I lived there for 17 years and my family is still there so I visit pretty often. I think they have a great welcoming vibe and fun nightlife - but I don’t know if I would say that I miss it. I’m one of those people who feel at home wherever I am, so that really helps! I don’t want to be living somewhere and always longing for another place, that sounds too sad.

What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to?

Not really, I personally think that things don’t happen ‘randomly’ or ‘just because’, I think we often don’t understand why things happen until years or decades later. But that we do always figure out the answer.

Well, there are these chocolate biscuit cookies that I just can’t have at home. I will eat the whole package no matter the size if I have them, so I guess it would have to be those! I don’t really smoke or drink so I would say this is the one.