Skip to content

Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Live?

    Stuttgart is the 6th largest city in Germany. Located on the famous Neckar River, Stuttgart is only an hour away from the Swabian Jura and the Black Forest. The city has a population of approximately 610,000 people, but more than 5.3 million people live in its metropolitan area. Compared to the other urban centres in the country such as Munich, and Hamburg, Stuttgart is relatively small, but it continues to be attractive to residents and non-residents due to its stable economy and affordable cost of living.

    Is Stuttgart a good place to live? This city is considered as one of the safest and cleanest in the country offering a good quality of life to its residents. The city has 23 inner and outer neighbourhoods and is also home to two of the best automobile manufacturing brands in the world- Mercedes Benz and Porsche. Whether you’re a local or expat, this is a cool place that you can call home.

    Read Also: Is Bonn a Good Place to Live?

    If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide about working and living in Stuttgart, you’re in the right place. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve plans of moving to Stuttgart or your aim is to know more about the town, we’ve got you covered. In this city guide, we provide all the essential details that you need to be acquainted with to help you make a wise choice.

    Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Live?

    Stuttgart is famous for being the home to Mercedes Benz and Porsche, but there is much more to it than just cars. Being the capital of Bade Wurttemberg, the city serves as a cultural and intellectual centre in the South-West region. Stuttgart boasts of producing one of the best football clubs in the country, VfB Stuttgart.

    The overall cost of life in Stuttgart is relatively cheaper than Berlin and this will perhaps influence your decision if you’re about to initiate the process of moving to Germany as an expat. However, the low cost of living doesn’t mean that you’re sacrificing enjoyment in any way. The city has many bars, clubs, and 5-star restaurants to choose from any time.

    But, you will need to know that the city is surrounded by hills which are a blessing and curse at the same time. The hilly terrain makes travelling by road a little bit costlier, but on the bright side, the many hills offer incredible views over the city.

    Read Also: Is Wiesbaden a Good Place to Live?

    Stuttgart and the surrounding areas have been home to some significant figures of German research and literature, the most important ones being Friedrich Holderlin, Georg Wilheim Friedrich, and Friedrich Schiller.

    The city has never been considered a traditional university city, but it has a variety of institutions of higher learning offering quality degree and diploma courses. The University of Stuttgart is the fourth largest university in Baden Wurttemberg. The University of Hohenheim was founded in 1818 with a primary focus on agriculture and forestry.

    While these disciplines are still taught in the university today, its focus has shifted to business administration and insurance. The city is also home to the International School of Stuttgart that offers three international baccalaureate programs.

    Read Also: Is Rostock a Good Place to Live?

    The city’s transport system is fantastic. It doesn’t matter whether you want to travel by bus, tram, or train, you will always have your pick. The S-Bahn is a modern railway line that links Stuttgart to other cities and towns.

    The buses and trams also provide affordable and efficient transportation to and from the town. All coaches and trams operate from 5 am to 1 am every day. You can use a single ticket across all kinds of public transport, and you will always get it at the various stations.

    Depending on the ticket that you purchase, your transport ticket can be valid for a few hours, a day, week, or even month.

    The crime levels in Stuttgart are much lower than the national average. In fact, Stuttgart is ranked as one of the safest and cleanest cities in Germany.

    Read Also: Is Dortmund a Good Place to Live?

    Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Work?

    Stuttgart provides a broad range of fantastic job opportunities since it is home to several world-famous companies such as Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Bosch, and Bauknecht. The city is famously known as the “cradle of automatics” which shows how blessed the residents of this city are.

    The truth is that finding a job opportunity in Stuttgart for certain industries is much easier since the city’s economy is strong and it continues to attract a wide range of international technology companies.

    The automobile industry is the biggest employer in the city, but you can still find job opportunities in the banking and insurance sector as well as the construction industry. The rate of unemployment in this city is much lower compared to that of some of the leading cities such as Munich, and Hamburg.

    Read Also: Is Frankfurt am Main A Good Place To Live?

    In 2017, the unemployment rate stood at 3.5% compared to 5.9% on a national level. In the whole of Germany, Stuttgart has the highest number of academic, research, and scientific companies.

    This should serve as an added incentive of settling in this city if you’re in the process of moving to Germany. This is an attractive place to work and grow your career. Stuttgart isn’t a commuter city. Most of the people who are living in Stuttgart work a few miles away from their homes.

    Salaries offered by most of the companies are slightly higher than to the national average. The average salary paid to people working in the city is £30,000.

    Local authorities describe the city’s economy as a futuristic business district which continues to encourage foreign investment as well as the creation of numerous small and medium enterprises.

    Read Also: Is Berlin A Good Place To Live?

    The city’s economy is mainly dependent on automotive manufacturing. Apart from automotive manufacturing, scientific research, financial services, and information and communication technology also contribute significantly to the city’s economy.

    Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Buy a House?

    The prime real estate of the city is along the steeply rising slopes of its hilly topography which offers breathtaking views over the city. Although the climate is ideal for buying and investing in real estate, don’t expect to find cheap homes especially in prime locations.

    The cost of homes, as well as the cost of renting in the city, has been on a steady rise with no signs of a turnaround. If you’re in the process of moving to Stuttgart, you should understand the fact that there aren’t many apartments to choose from in the city centre. Residential housing opportunities begin at the edge of the town.

    Read Also: Is Cologne (Köln) A Good Place to Live?

    Stuttgart-West is among the most attractive places to live since it is much closer to the city centre and it is close to many shops, cafes, and small parks. The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment near the city centre is €757,710 while a spacious two bedroom house will cost anything between €842,867.

    Three bedroom apartments may cost as much as £1.5 million. The good news is that it is much easy to secure a mortgage to finance your property purchase. The average mortgage interest rate is 2.3%, and as long as your credit rating is excellent, you will not fail to secure financing.

    The average rental cost for a one-bedroom apartment near the city centre is €900 while that of a three-bedroom apartment is €1,584. Some of the best neighbourhoods in the city include Stuttgart-Mitte, Degerloch, Bad Cannstatt, and Stuttgart-West.

    Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Retire?

    Other than living and working in Stuttgart, this is also a fantastic place to retire. The health care system offers excellent services to seniors, and it is also relatively affordable. The serene environment and the availability of well-designed retirement homes is something that any retiree can look forward when thinking of relocating to Stuttgart.

    The education system will ensure that your children or grandchildren get access to a high-quality and affordable education that guarantees a bright future. The degree courses offered at the University of Stuttgart are among the most desirable in the country. A standard one-bedroom retirement apartment in one of Stuttgart’s neighbourhoods will cost approximately €450,000.

    A three-bedroom retirement apartment costs anything between €800,500 and €1 million. Finding credit to finance your retirement property purchase is much easier as long as your credit score is excellent. Numerous attraction sites are also in proximity, and you will never miss finding something g to do while enjoying your retirement in this beautiful city.

    Is Stuttgart a Good Place to Visit?

    Stuttgart is more than just a place to stay and work. It is also an amazing place to visit and experience the city’s vibrant cultural hub and famous landmarks such as the Friedrichsbau Theater that became quite famous for its popular vaudeville shows in the 1920s.

    Stuttgart hosts two of the world’s most famed car museums- the Porsche museum and the Mercedes Benz museum. Approximately two million people visit these two museums every year to experience the evolution of these two famous car models.

    The famous Wilhelma gardens is located a few miles from the city centre and offer a feeling of complete relaxation accompanied by thorough entertainment.

    You can also visit the Stuttgart City Library that houses standout books from different authors and printers from around the world. The other standout tourist attractions in Stuttgart include the Rubble Hill, St. John’s Church, and the Neckar Park.