WBS, Mietspiegel, Kaltmiete — German housing vocabulary explained

Some of the most confusing German rental terms, demystified:

• Kaltmiete — Base rent (cold rent), without utilities
• Warmmiete — Total monthly cost including heating
• Nebenkosten — Utility costs (water, garbage, building maintenance)
• Kaution — Security deposit (usually 2-3 months Kaltmiete)
• WBS — Wohnberechtigungsschein, certificate for subsidized housing
• Mietspiegel — Official rent reference for your area
• Staffelmiete — Rent that increases on a schedule
• Indexmiete — Rent that adjusts with inflation
• Schufa — Credit check (almost always required)

Any other terms confused you when you first arrived? Share below 👇