Munich · Housing · WG

WG-Gesucht in Munich: etiquette, realistic prices, and scam warnings

€800 for a shared-flat room is normal in Munich. Here's how to present yourself and what to avoid.

A Wohngemeinschaft (WG) — a shared flat — is the most realistic first housing option in Munich for newcomers. Getting a full 1-room apartment is almost impossible from abroad; a WG is approachable if you know the rituals.

Realistic prices

• Average WG-Zimmer (room): €800/month warm (incl. Nebenkosten). Munich leads Germany here.
• Schwabing / Maxvorstadt: €900–€1,100 for nicer rooms.
• Sendling / Laim / Moosach: €650–€800.
• 1-Zimmer-Wohnung: €1,100–€1,600 cold + Nebenkosten.

How Besichtigungen work

1. Browse + message. WG-Gesucht listings get 20–50 applications within hours. Personalise every message (2–3 sentences about you
   • why this WG in particular).
2. Besichtigung (viewing): group format with 10–30 candidates per slot, 20–30 min each. Dress business-casual; bring a Mieterbewerbungsmappe (see below).
3. The "match": existing flatmates pick who they want. It's genuinely a personality interview — personality matters more than Schufa score in a WG.
4. Mietvertrag: for a Hauptmieter (main tenant) role, the landlord signs with you; for an Untermieter (subletter) the existing tenant does.

Mieterbewerbungsmappe

A short PDF you print or attach to every application. Include:

• Short self-intro (2–3 sentences: your name, job/study, why Munich, hobbies).
• Copy of passport + visa.
• Anmeldebescheinigung if you already have it (once registered).
• Schufa-BonitätsAuskunft (€29.95 at meineschufa.de) OR, if you're new to Germany: a bank balance screenshot + the statement "Neuanmeldung in Deutschland — Schufa folgt".
• Payslips (last 3) OR admission letter OR scholarship proof OR Verpflichtungserklärung from a sponsor.
• Professional reference if available.

Red flags + scam patterns

• "Transfer the deposit and I'll send keys via DHL" — always a scam. Never send money before seeing the flat and signing in person.
• "I'm in the UK / USA right now, so we'll handle everything online" — scam.
• Far-below-market rent — a Schwabing 1-Zimmer-Wohnung for €600 doesn't exist.
• Fake Schufa links — only meineschufa.de (and licensed intermediaries like bonify) sell real Schufa reports.
• Pressure tactics — "only 1 hour to decide or we'll move to the next candidate". Legitimate landlords give you a day.

Tips from people who found WGs in their first month

• Be on WG-Gesucht by 08:00. Listings posted overnight get too many messages by 10:00.
• Don't apply from a stock template. Genuine, specific messages (even 3 sentences) get 5x more responses.
• Offer a video call if you're applying from abroad. Existing flatmates appreciate seeing a face.
• Check the Anmeldung note — some WGs explicitly refuse Anmeldung-eligible rooms ("keine Anmeldung möglich"). Skip those if you need your address registered.

Test yourself before the first viewing

Run the 12-question scam-check quiz and scan the 15-pattern library. Munich landlords are more traditional than Berlin's, but scam listings show up on Kleinanzeigen every week.