Living in Heidelberg: Districts Rents & Studying

Heidelberg is divided into 15 districts and 47 neighbourhoods; seven former neighbouring villages were incorporated by 1975. The old town between the Neckar and the Königstuhl, with the castle and the Hauptstraße – one of the longest pedestrian zones in Europe – is the historic core. To the south-west lie the Weststadt and Südstadt, which grew up during the city's rapid expansion. On the other side of the Neckar lie Neuenheim, with the Im Neuenheimer Feld campus, and Handschuhsheim.

In the west, the Bahnstadt is being built on the former freight and marshalling yard – one of the largest passive-house developments in the world; a first section was inaugurated in 2014. Further south lies Rohrbach, in the south-east the young districts of Boxberg and Emmertsgrund, and upstream along the Neckar Ziegelhausen and Schlierbach. Where you live determines your tram line, parking zone and the carrying route on moving day – we plan vehicle and team to suit the address.

According to Wikipedia, the largest employer is the university, together with the University Hospital, with more than 15,000 jobs. Then there are research institutions such as the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the headquarters of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), as well as companies such as Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Heidelberg Materials, Lamy and SAP. According to Wikipedia, in 2024 Heidelberg had the highest rate of start-up formation per inhabitant in Germany.

For leisure there is the mountain railway from Kornmarkt via the Molkenkur up to the Königstuhl, the Philosophers' Walk with views of the old town, the castle and the banks of the Neckar. It is best to compare rents with the city's rent index; we do not quote our own averages. Portals, housing companies and, for students, the Studierendenwerk (student services) help with the flat search.

As a first guide: a move from a 1-room flat costs from €375, from a 2-room flat from €594. For a 3-room flat prices start at €894, for a 4-room flat at €1,299. For houses and villas there is no flat rate but an individual quote. For long-distance moves we charge €3.95 per kilometre. The most accurate way to plan is with a free survey.

Volume, distance (from €3.95/km), floor and lift largely determine the price. A parking restriction zone may also be necessary. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a shared load round off the offer.

We come from Berlin-Moabit and carry out long-distance moves throughout Germany, including to Baden-Württemberg. Find out more in the overview of destinations and on our page Long-distance moves.

If you move to Heidelberg, under § 17 of the Federal Registration Act (Bundesmeldegesetz) you must register within two weeks of moving in. The landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) under § 19 of the Federal Registration Act is issued solely by the landlord or a person authorised by them; if they refuse, you must inform the registration authority without delay.

The responsible body is the Office for Citizen Services and Immigration (Bergheimer Straße 69) with the citizens' offices in the districts; you can reach it by phone on (0 62 21) 58-4 79 80 or by email at [email protected]. According to the city of Heidelberg, personal visits are generally only possible by appointment. Book appointments online at termin.heidelberg.de or by phone. Some services are handled by the Bürgeramt Virtuell (virtual citizens' office) by video call, also by appointment.

• Walk-in visits without an appointment are only for urgent matters.
• The branch offices Boxberg/Emmertsgrund, Handschuhsheim, Kirchheim, Neuenheim, Pfaffengrund and Rohrbach, as well as the Bürgeramt Mitte (Bahnstadt, Bergheim, Südstadt, Weststadt), accept urgent cases on fixed weekdays.
• For the old town, Wieblingen and Ziegelhausen/Schlierbach, the city currently lists no walk-in visits.
• Since 1 May 2025, ID cards and passports require digital passport photos from certified providers.

Exactly which documents are required is set out in the city's guide to services. How we support your move within the city is explained on the page Moving Heidelberg.

According to the city, Heidelberg is divided into 15 districts: Altstadt, Bahnstadt, Bergheim, Boxberg, Emmertsgrund, Handschuhsheim, Kirchheim, Neuenheim, Pfaffengrund, Rohrbach, Schlierbach, Südstadt, Weststadt, Wieblingen and Ziegelhausen. The Bahnstadt is the youngest district, Emmertsgrund was newly founded in the 1970s, Handschuhsheim, according to the city, combines village life with life sciences institutes, and the Weststadt is shaped by residential architecture from the imperial era. Rohrbach used to be a wine-growing village, and Ziegelhausen was incorporated in 1975.

Important for tenants: according to the city of Heidelberg, the rent index 2025 applies from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2027. The brochure is available as a PDF, at the citizens' offices, from the tenants' association and from Haus & Grund; an online calculator determines the net rent excluding utilities by location, year of construction, fittings and size.

If you have a car, apply for a permit in parking zones with residents' parking. According to the city, the annual permit in 2026 costs €120 if applied for online and €135 if applied for in person; holders of the Heidelberg-Pass are reimbursed the costs except for a personal contribution. In the old town, most streets in the core are pedestrian zones, and only authorised persons may park there. Bergheim, Handschuhsheim, Neuenheim, Rohrbach and Weststadt each have their own permit types and parking disc rules, shown on the district's parking map. Further details on neighbourhoods and costs are in the Heidelberg guide.