Living in Stuttgart for Expats

Stuttgart is located on the Neckar River, in a valet locally known as the “Stuttgart Cauldron”. The city is the 4th largest metropolitan area in Germany thanks to its innovation hub, attracting many international and creative professionals. Stuttgart is rich in history, as it has been an important agricultural area, as well as in culture, with Roman influences, and infrastructure, and technology. The city is considered one of the areas with the highest quality of life, with a fast-paced but balanced lifestyle. 

Photo by Max Böttinger on Unsplash

What to expect

• Here are the main highlights of what you can expect from living in Stuttgart. 

Weather

• In Stuttgart, you can experience every season to the fullest. Summers are hot and bright, autumn is mild and somewhat rainy, and winter is white and snowy. 

KPIs

Average Daylight: 16 hours in summer and 8 hours in winter.

Average weather: 24º C in summer and 1º C in winter. 

Average rainfall: 172 days. 

Cost of living

Finding an apartment

• Most apartment offers are on the areas surrounding the city center, as the center is mostly for business and educational activities. The center has office buildings, schools, universities, shopping centers, and a few housing options. However, your best bet is in the areas that are around the completely active city center. The neighborhoods around are attractive places to live. The district, Stuttgart-West, has neighborhoods with street markets, shops, cafes, theaters, and parks, and everything within walking distance. There are many more neighborhoods to choose from that offer their unique features. Also, there are many housing websites and real estate agencies ready to help you find the apartment that best suits your needs, and adapts to your budget and lifestyle. 

Commuting

• Stuttgart has a fantastic public transportation system. The best way of covering short distances is by using the Stadbahn, a light rail system, or bus. For longer distances, the S-Bahn, the train is readily available. There are many types of tickets available for public transportation that you can buy on the stations and buses. 
• The best way to get to know the city center is by walking, as everything is close by. Riding a bike in the center can be challenging as the bike lanes are not fully developed. However, once you leave the city center, there are many paths for bikes through the forests. 

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Professional Environment

• Stuttgart is one of the strongest commercial metropolitan centers in Germany. High technology and engineering industries are the highest competitors in the city’s economy, with many large companies. 

Company Profile

• The city is home to big tech companies, but it is also an innovation hub. The startup scene in the city is continuously growing. The city’s fast pace work life makes the destination an interesting one for international talent, calling many professionals to start their projects in a place of innovation and creativity. 

Networking

• People in Stuttgart may appear cold and close at first, but once the first approach is made, you will find that they are friendly and loyal people. To meet people in Stuttgart you can participate in one of the many annual networking events where you can meet new people from all over the world. 

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Traveling in and out

Culture

• Stuttgart is culturally rich, and it is reflected in its architecture. The Schlossplatz is the largest central square in Stuttgart, where cultural events take place throughout the year, home to the Neues Schloss Palace. Other remarkable buildings include the Stifskirche, Altes Schloss (Old Castle),  King Wilhelm’s Palace, among others. There are many unique museums such as the Porsche and Mercedes-Bez Museums, as well as art centers such as the State Opera House. There are regular festivals such as the Beerfest or the Cannstatter Volskfest. 

Photo by Max Böttinger on Unsplash

Leisure

• Stuttgart is loaded with shopping areas, restaurants, spas, and much more that you will have something different to do very often. Some highlights of what you can do are:
  • Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Garden: the zoo covers an area of about 30 hectares and is home to almost 11,500 animals from different parts of the world. 
  • Palace Square: you will find yourself getting to the Palace Square often, as it is the exact center of the city. But, it is also a great place for concerts fairs, and events, which are organized throughout the year. 
  • Stuttgart is home to many famous libraries known worldwide. One of them, Stuttgart City Library, is free, with a large selection of books, board games, movies, magazines, and much more. Plus, the architecture is unique. It is a building of around 40 meters tall, and has an interesting and innovative book return system. It is definitely a place to visit if you enjoy reading and technology. 
  • The TV Tower, initially built for technology and connectivity purposes, is also a restaurant, with an observation deck and transmitter technology. It offers unique views of the city, and it is a city’s landmark. It was built in 1956, and it has impressive panoramic views over the Neckar Valley, the Alb, the Black Forest, and the Odenwald. 

Photo by Andrea Ferrario on Unsplash

Food

Sports

• If you are a sports fan, Stuttgart is waiting for you! The city was named the European capital of sports years ago and still maintains its title. The most popular sport is football, but you can also check out games of American football, basketball, hockey, handball, and baseball, among others. VfB Stuttgart is a sports club with many teams, and the largest sports club in Germany. The soccer team plays its home games at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. 
• The city has many sports teams playing in the big leagues, such as the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in basketball, Bietigheim-Bissingen Steelers in hockey, TVB 1898 Stuttgart in handball, and the Stuttgart Reds in baseball. 

Day trips

• Thanks to Stuttgart’s fantastic transportation system, you can visit some close German cities and close countries. Some suggestions include:
  • Hohenzollern Castle, just a one-hour train ride from Stuttgart, you can find the ancestral seat of the House of Hohenzollern and one of Germany’s best castles. The castle is on top of a hill, so if you enjoy hiking and history, this is a great place to visit on a weekend!
  • Seewald Leisure Park is the perfect place for a weekend getaway with family and friends. The park hosts the longest toboggan rise in Southern Germany, with a total of 1500 meters up and down. Just one hour away from Stuttgart, you can pass through the forest and small villages. The park offers trampolines, and water bumper cars!
  • The Treetop Walk at Bad Wildbad is 1250m in length and 20m above ground. It ends with a nice 360-degree spiral lookout tower. Here you can check out the thick Black Forest full of pine, and beech trees. 
  • Frankfurt is a mixture of technology and history. It is one of Germany’s oldest cities, dating back to 794. Some sections of Frankfurt’s Old Town were rebuilt after World War II. The city is often referred to as “Mainhattan” – a mixture between the local Main River and Manhattan – because of its high-rise buildings in its downtown area. 

Photo by Igor Flek on Unsplash

We hope that you have found this guide useful.

Find more details, information, and KPIs about Stuttgart in our Expat Guide.

The Fut-Ure Team will likewise be happy to help you to set up in the city if you are looking for a job in the region, or give you more information about the local Talent market (including details and advice in topics like Taxes and legal) if you are planning to open an office in Stuttgart.

Take a look at our Job Offers, and contact us!

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