Bonn's skyline and the Rhine river beneath dramatic storm clouds
North Rhine-Westphalia

Bonn

Photo: Carolina Nichitin / Unsplash
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Bonn is Germany's former capital and home to many UN agencies, a safe, quiet, and manageable city with a large student population and proximity to Cologne.

Arriving in Bonn: you must register your address (Anmeldung) at the local Meldebehörde within two weeks of moving in — that is a legal deadline under § 17 Bundesmeldegesetz, not a guideline, and missing it carries a fine of up to €1,000. Budget roughly €600/month for a WG room, though see the caveat on that figure below.

Deadline and fine: § 17 BMG, § 54 Abs. 3 BMG.

Student friendly
9/10
9/10
Transport
7/10
7/10
Safety
9/10
9/10

FirstWeek editorial rating — our own read, not a measured statistic. Not derived from official data. How we handle data

Rent, roughly

Room typeAvg monthly rent
WG room€600
Studio€800
1-bedroom€1,050

Not independently sourced — treat as a rough indication only. How we handle data

Universities

University of Bonn
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg

Frequently asked questions

What universities are in Bonn?
Bonn is home to: University of Bonn, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg.
Which German state is Bonn in?
Bonn is located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
How long do I have to register my address in Bonn, Germany?
Two weeks. § 17 of the Bundesmeldegesetz requires anyone moving into a residence in Germany to register with the local Meldebehörde within two weeks of moving in. The clock starts on your move-in date, not your arrival in the country.
What is the fine for registering your address late in Bonn, Germany?
Up to €1,000. Late or missing registration is an Ordnungswidrigkeit under § 54 Abs. 3 of the Bundesmeldegesetz, carrying a fine of up to €1,000. In practice many offices issue a warning or a much smaller amount for a first, briefly late registration — but the legal ceiling is €1,000.

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