Moving to Luxembourg for work: a 30-day housing checklist before and after arrival

Luxembourg City is one of the most expensive and supply-constrained rental markets in Europe. Recent estimates put typical expat-grade apartments in the city centre in the range of 2,200 to 2,800 euro per month before charges, with total monthly housing costs often reaching 2,400 to 3,100 euro.

At the same time, there is little improvement in housing availability, which means you cannot assume that “something will turn up” if you wait until the last minute.

The good news is that you do not need to solve everything in one go. You need a clear sequence: secure a safe landing, handle your admin, then move from temporary to medium or long term housing.

This 30-day checklist is built for people who are moving to Luxembourg for work and want a realistic, structured path, not guesswork.

How to use this 30-day housing checklist

• If you have 30 days or more before arrival: follow the checklist step by step.
• If you have less time: compress the “30 to 21 days” and “20 to 8 days” steps into your remaining time and focus on securing temporary housing first.
• If you are already in Luxembourg: start from the “First 7 days after arrival” and “Days 8 to 30” sections.

The focus here is housing, but a few key administrative steps are included where they directly affect your ability to rent.

30 to 21 days before arrival – design your housing strategy

1. Clarify your work pattern and time horizon

Before you look at listings, be precise about:

• Office location(s) and how often you must be on site.
• Whether your role is mostly office based, hybrid or mostly remote.
• How long you expect to stay in Luxembourg (1 year, several years, open ended).
• Whether you are moving alone, as a couple, or with family.

This will decide whether your first solution should be:

• Temporary housing for 1 to 3 months while you understand the market.
• A medium term furnished rental (3 to 12 months).
• A direct search for a long term unfurnished lease if you know exactly what you want.

2. Decide your first year housing budget

Look at your net salary and decide how much can realistically go to housing.

• In Luxembourg City, medium to high standard one bedroom apartments often cost 1,500 to 2,000 euro, and two bedroom apartments around 2,100 to 2,600 euro per month, excluding utilities.
• Temporary furnished rentals can easily be 1,000 to 2,000 euro per month, typically with a minimum commitment of 3 to 6 months.

Decide:

• A maximum monthly amount you are comfortable spending on housing.
• How much cushion you want for deposits, agency fees and furniture.

3. Choose your initial strategy: temporary first or long term directly

For most people, a two step approach is safer:

1. Secure temporary or mid term housing for the first 1 to 3 months so you land with an address and peace of mind.
2. Use that time to look for a longer term place with more context and less pressure.

Going directly for a long term lease from abroad is possible but risky in a tight market. You may feel pushed into accepting something you would reject if you knew the city and the norms.

4. Shortlist your target areas

Use basic criteria:

• Commute time to your main office.
• Public transport lines that connect to your workplace. Public transport is free nationwide in Luxembourg for buses, trains and the tram, which makes it easier to live further out as long as you are close to a good line.
• Access to supermarkets and services.
• Whether you prefer quiet residential streets or more urban energy.

You do not need to know exact districts yet, but decide whether you are aiming for central Luxembourg City, nearby communes, or further out.

20 to 8 days before arrival – secure your landing and paperwork

5. Lock in temporary housing for at least the first 30 days

Your top priority is to avoid landing without anywhere to stay.

Use a mix of:

• Serviced apartments and corporate housing platforms.
• Reputable mid term rental platforms with verified hosts.
• Employer housing partners, if your company uses one.

Checklist for your booking:

• It covers at least your first 30 days from arrival.
• It is fully confirmed in writing, with dates, address and conditions.
• You understand what is included in the price, including utilities, cleaning and internet.
• Cancellation terms are clear in case your plans shift.

If you can afford it, 45 to 60 days of temporary housing gives you a calmer window to find long term options.

6. Clarify your residence and work status

Your legal status affects what you will be asked for when renting.

• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can live and work in Luxembourg, but must still register with their commune after arrival if staying more than three months.
• Non-EU nationals usually need a residence permit or long stay visa tied to work before entering. Check your consulate, employer and official portals such as Guichet.lu.

Your landlord or housing provider may ask for:

• A copy of your work contract.
• Proof that you have the right to reside and work in Luxembourg.
• A recent payslip once you start, for long term leases.

Make sure you have digital copies ready.

7. Sort out health insurance and social security enrollment pathway

Everyone who lives in Luxembourg for more than three months must have health insurance and be affiliated to social security.

• Workers are usually enrolled with the Centre Commun de la Sécurité Sociale via their employer, and health cover runs through the National Health Fund.
• Before arrival, make sure you understand whether you are covered via an S1 form, for some EU citizens, or private insurance until affiliation.

This matters because some landlords and agencies may ask for proof of insurance or employment as part of their risk checks.

8. Prepare a rental file in advance

Create a folder, digital and printed, with:

• Passport or ID.
• Work contract or offer letter.
• Recent payslips if you have them, or proof of income.
• Employer letter confirming your role and salary range, if possible.
• References from previous landlords, if available.
• Proof of savings if your income is not yet visible.

For long term rentals, be ready for:

• Security deposits up to two months of rent for primary residence contracts, due to reforms that limit residential deposits to two months, down from the previous three.
• Agency fees shared between tenant and landlord in some cases, rather than fully paid by the tenant.

Plan your cash accordingly.

Last 7 days before arrival – lock the details

9. Confirm your housing and arrival logistics

One week before you fly or drive:

• Reconfirm check-in time and how to access your temporary housing.
• Save phone numbers or WhatsApp contacts for the host or housing provider.
• Check parking options if you arrive by car.
• Confirm if bedding, towels and basic kitchen items are provided.

Have a fallback plan for the first night, for example an emergency hotel booking, in case your arrival is heavily delayed.

10. Map your key locations

On a map, mark:

• Temporary housing.
• Workplace.
• Nearest tram or bus stops.
• The commune office where you will register your arrival.
• A nearby supermarket and pharmacy.

Public transport is free, so you can move around the city to view apartments without thinking about tickets.

11. Pre-schedule your first viewings if possible

If you already see promising long term or mid term listings:

• Contact agents or platforms and say you will be in Luxembourg from a specific date.
• Try to line up a few viewings in your first 10 days.
• Keep expectations realistic. Good properties move fast and some agents will not book viewings far in advance.

Your aim is to have a pipeline of options, not to sign something before you understand the city.

First 7 days after arrival – secure your admin and assess reality

12. Register your arrival with the commune

Most newcomers staying more than 90 days need to register with their local commune shortly after arrival.

• You typically must make a declaration of arrival within eight days at the commune, with your ID and supporting documents, then complete a registration within three months.

Doing this early:

• Gives you a proof of address that can be useful for banks, insurance and some landlords.
• Confirms that you are on the right track administratively.

Check the exact requirements on the website of your commune and on Guichet.lu for your nationality and situation.

13. Validate your commute and neighbourhood assumptions

From your temporary housing:

• Do your actual commute to the office at typical times.
• Try alternative routes by bus, tram and train.
• Visit the neighbourhoods you had shortlisted and walk them at different times of day.

The goal is to confirm or adjust your mental map. You may find that a district you thought was too far feels fine with free public transport, while another is noisier than you expected.

14. Open a local bank account if required

Some landlords and agencies prefer or require a Luxembourg bank account for rent payments or deposit handling.

• Use your work contract, passport and proof of address to open an account.
• Ask your employer which banks they see most often used by staff, and whether they have preferred partners.

If your landlord uses a state supervised rental deposit account, the process usually runs through a Luxembourg bank, which is easier if you already have one.

Days 8 to 30 in Luxembourg – move from temporary to medium or long term

15. Define your target lease type and duration

Based on what you have seen in your first week:

• Decide whether you aim for a medium term furnished lease, three to twelve months, or a long term unfurnished lease, usually one year or more.
• Adjust your budget with real numbers you are seeing in your searches.

Market sources focused on Luxembourg confirm that medium and high standard apartments in the city often rent for 1,500 to 2,000 euro for one bedroom and above 2,100 euro for two bedrooms, excluding charges.

16. Build a focused, daily search routine

To avoid getting lost in dozens of portals:

• Pick a small set of reliable platforms and, ideally, a housing partner that can filter options for you.
• Set alerts for your preferred districts and budget.
• Check every morning and every evening.
• Respond fast, with your rental file ready.

In a tight market, speed plus a complete file often matters more than a slightly higher offer.

17. View strategically, not randomly

For each potential property:

• Check distance and commute time before booking a viewing.
• Prioritise places that fit at least 80 percent of your criteria.
• During the visit, look beyond the listing photos. Pay attention to noise, light, building condition, neighbours and parking if needed.

Take notes immediately after each viewing, or you will forget details and mix them up.

18. Understand what you are signing

Before signing any medium or long term contract:

• Check the rent amount, charges and what is included.
• Confirm the length of the lease and notice periods.
• Verify deposit amount and where it will be held, especially in view of the legal limit of two months’ rent for deposits on principal residences.
• Ask about agency fees and who pays what, given rules that share fees between landlord and tenant in many cases.

If you are unsure, ask a local colleague, your employer’s relocation support or an expat service to look at the draft with you.

19. Plan your exit from temporary housing

Once you sign a lease:

• Coordinate move-in date with your landlord or housing partner.
• Plan the end date for your temporary housing, leaving a small buffer if possible.
• Arrange utilities, internet and insurance for the new place, so you are not living in a half functional apartment for weeks.

Common housing pitfalls for newcomers to Luxembourg

20. Waiting too long to book temporary housing

Given the ongoing housing shortage and high demand from international workers, leaving temporary housing to the last week is high risk.

Book something solid early, then optimise later.

21. Underestimating total housing cost

It is easy to focus on rent and ignore:

• Charges, including utilities and building fees.
• Agency fees.
• Deposits up to two months of rent.
• Furniture and setup costs for unfurnished places.

Use the upper end of the ranges when you estimate, not the lower.

22. Saying yes to the wrong long term place out of fear

In a tight market, it is tempting to accept the first offer. The risk:

• You feel stuck somewhere that does not fit your lifestyle or commute.
• You start your new job with ongoing frustration about where you live.

Temporary or mid term housing exist to give you breathing space. Use that time to choose properly.

30-day housing checklist summary

You can convert this article into a simple checklist:

30 to 21 days before arrival

• Clarify work pattern, time horizon and who is moving.
• Set a realistic housing budget.
• Decide on a temporary first or direct long term strategy.
• Shortlist target areas based on commute and lifestyle.

20 to 8 days before arrival

• Book temporary housing for at least 30 days.
• Confirm your residence and work status and gather proof.
• Prepare health insurance and social security enrolment path.
• Build your rental file with documents and savings.

Last 7 days before arrival

• Reconfirm housing, check-in and arrival logistics.
• Map key locations and commute.
• Try to pre-schedule first viewings.

First 7 days after arrival

• Register your arrival at the commune.
• Validate commutes and neighbourhoods in real life.
• Open a local bank account if needed.

Days 8 to 30 in Luxembourg

• Decide lease type and duration with real numbers.
• Run a focused daily search, with alerts.
• View and apply strategically with your rental file ready.
• Understand contracts before signing.
• Coordinate move from temporary to medium or long term housing.

If you follow this sequence, you reduce the chance of housing stress dominating your move and give yourself a structured, realistic way to go from “I have a job in Luxembourg” to “I actually have a home here.”

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