Moving to Germany? What to Know About Apartments Without Kitchens

When we first got the keys to our new apartment in Stuttgart, we pictured unpacking dishes, setting up our coffee maker, and cooking our first meal in Germany.

Instead, we stepped into an empty room with bare walls, plumbing hookups, and over a dozen dangling light bulbs. No cabinets. No appliances. Not even a sink.

We had intentionally chosen a newly built apartment with no previous tenant, thinking it would mean a fresh, move-in-ready space.

Back in North America, that usually means gleaming countertops, brand-new appliances, and a fully fitted kitchen.

Here in Germany, it meant the opposite: a blank canvas that included… nothing.

It turns out that in Germany, kitchens are often considered furniture rather than a permanent fixture of the home.

When tenants move out — or when a new build is handed over — kitchens are not automatically included.

Landlords leave the space as an empty shell, and the next tenant is responsible for designing and installing their own from scratch.

For North Americans, this is a shock. In the U.S. and Canada, kitchens are part of the property and factored into the rent or sale price.

Here, you need to budget separately — both in time and money — for what will likely be one of your biggest expenses after rent.

In the first few weeks, we ordered a lot of takeout through Uber Eats while waiting for our kitchen to be delivered and installed.

Duygu had already designed it, so this stage was all about patience rather than decision-making.

Our entire IKEA kitchen — cabinets, countertop, island, and built-in appliances — came out to just over €10,000, including just under €1,000 for installation.

That amount covered the dishwasher, induction hob, and oven, but excluded the fridge and the matte black faucet we had our hearts set on.

Those extra pieces added to the investment, but they were worth it to make the space feel like ours.

What we wish we knew before moving:

• Budget early — Kitchens in Germany can range from €3,000 for a basic IKEA setup to €15,000+ for a custom design. Our €10,000 including the dishwasher, induction hob, and oven only. We still had to purchase our Samsung fridge with a water dispense separately.

• Expect delays — From ordering to installation, the process can take weeks (or months). For us, it took us nearly 2 months because of logistics & communication issues with IKEA - more on that later.

• Plan temporary cooking solutions — Think ahead about how you’ll manage meals while waiting for your kitchen. At one point, I became friends with one of our regular Uber Eats driver.

It was an adjustment — both financially and mentally — but starting from scratch gave us a rare opportunity.

We weren’t just moving into a kitchen someone else designed; we were creating one that was entirely our own.