3 tips for settling in Luxembourg

Published on 12/03/2020, by Loïc Braun

We often talk about health, taxes, salaries and employment, but once all of that is sorted, the most important thing is still missing: a place to call home! Here are three simple tips to help guide you in your search.

Finding accommodation in Luxembourg, as in any European capital, can be quite time-consuming, as demand is high and supply rather limited. If you know you will be moving to Luxembourg, start looking as early as possible!

Tip #1: Find accommodation based on your workplace

There are several key business hubs in and around Luxembourg City. We all dream of walking to work and waking up just five minutes before leaving the house, but that dream is quite difficult to achieve here, as companies are generally not mixed in with residential areas: West Side Village, Kirchberg and Cloche d’Or.

Areas such as the Upper Town (Ville Haute), the Grund and the Gare have a higher density of housing. However, they are less accessible by car (traffic jams or narrow, winding streets) and tend to be quite expensive.

Just Arrived Luxembourg, the residents’ guide, recommends the districts of Limpertsberg, Merl-Belair and Hollerich (upper part) for families and single people alike, thanks to their elegance, tranquillity and good bus connections.

Of course, living close to your workplace is very convenient, but it is also important to unwind and keep a certain distance to clearly separate private life from professional life. If you do not have a car, like me, make sure you consider public transport!

Tip #2: Find accommodation based on transport and parking

Once you have secured a job, make sure you find out about parking options. Some areas are better off than others, for example, parking is very expensive in the Gare district (around €20 per day, yes, you read that correctly!). The public transport network is fairly well developed in Luxembourg City, and is free since 2020.

Learn more about the future of Luxembourg's tram

You therefore have several transport options in Luxembourg, including trains, buses, “vélOh” (a bike-sharing system similar to Vélib’, with over 70 stations across the network), taxis or simply walking, particularly useful after a good lunch with colleagues at a restaurant.

Luxembourg City centre is extremely lively, but as you move further out, the surroundings become more rural. Several neighbouring municipalities such as Bereldange, Bertrange, Bridel, Hesperange, Howald, Mamer, Strassen and Walferdange are very pleasant to live in and can be reached by train in 10 to 20 minutes.

Tip #3: Find accommodation based on your budget

In Luxembourg, you should expect to pay around €2,000 for a 60 m² flat, which makes property prices comparable to those in Paris. On the other hand, council tax and property taxes are negligible.

The most expensive areas are: Belair, Belval, Kirchberg, Ville Haute, Limpertsberg, Merl and Weimershof.
The most affordable areas are: Bonnevoie-Sud, Cessange, Eich, the Gare, Hollerich (Gasperich side), Mühlenbach and Weimerskirch.
The liveliest areas are: the Gare, Clausen, Bonnevoie-Sud, the Grund and the Upper Town, although you will also find plenty of activities in Kirchberg.