The Ultimate Europe Housing Guide for Founders

The Housing Landscape for Founders in Europe

Finding housing in Europe as a founder isn't like renting in the US or Asia. Every city has its own rules, platforms, and cultural norms. In Berlin you'll compete for a WG (shared flat) on WG-Gesucht. In London you'll need a UK guarantor or several months upfront. In Paris, a dossier of documents thicker than your pitch deck.

The good news: coliving has exploded across Europe, and it's tailor-made for founders. You get a furnished room, a built-in network, and zero friction. Budget varies by city — check the main playbook for current ranges and curated platform links.

City-by-City Housing Breakdown

Each European hub has a different cost profile and housing culture. Prices vary by neighborhood and season — use the city playbook for up-to-date links and ranges.

• •London: SpareRoom and OpenRent for flat shares; Rightmove and Zoopla for full apartments. Zones 1–2 are priciest — Zone 3 offers good transit and savings. The Collective and Vonder offer coliving.
• •Berlin: WG-Gesucht is the main platform. Kreuzberg and Neukölln are founder favorites. Anmeldung (address registration) is mandatory — your landlord must allow it.
• •Paris: SeLoger and LeBonCoin are the go-to platforms. Station F has housing partnerships. Use Garantme if you don't have a French guarantor.
• •Amsterdam: Funda and Kamernet are the main sites. Amsterdam-Oost and Noord are often cheaper. Start searching 2–3 months early.
• •Stockholm: Blocket and Qasa for sublets. Coliving: Allihoop Living, Hus24, K9, Mornington Longstay. The queue system has years-long waits — go private market.
• •Munich: Immobilienscout24 and WG-Gesucht for flats. Schwabing and Maxvorstadt are popular with founders. Anmeldung required, same as Berlin.
• •Zurich: Homegate and Comparis are the main platforms. Expect deposits of 3 months rent. Zurich is one of Europe's priciest cities — budget accordingly.
• •Warsaw: OLX and Otodom are the main platforms. Mokotów and Śródmieście are central. Strong value compared to Western Europe.
• •Lisbon: Idealista is the main platform. Still strong value for founders. Coliving is booming.
• •Barcelona: Idealista and Fotocasa are the go-to platforms. Eixample and Poblenou (22@) are founder favorites. Empadronamiento (address registration) is required.
• •Tallinn: KV.ee and City24 are the main platforms. Telliskivi/Kalamaja is the startup neighborhood. Rendin simplifies deposits. Facebook groups (Expats in Tallinn, Korterite üürimine Tallinnas) for direct-from-owner listings.

Coliving: The Founder's Secret Weapon

Coliving isn't just convenient — it's strategic. You're living with other founders, remote workers, and builders. The networking happens over breakfast, not at awkward meetups.

Most coliving operators offer month-to-month leases, which is perfect when you're still figuring out which city is home. You skip the bureaucratic nightmare of traditional rentals.

• •Outsite — Lisbon, Berlin, and more. Strong remote-worker community.
• •The Collective — London's premium coliving with coworking included.
• •Vonder — London, Berlin, Warsaw. Modern spaces, flexible terms.
• •Habyt (formerly Quarters) — Berlin, Lisbon, and expanding fast.
• •Sun and Co — Jávea, Spain. Great for a focused building sprint.

• Outsite – Coliving for Remote Workers
• The Collective – Coliving London
• Habyt – Flexible Coliving

The Move-In Playbook

Whether you're doing coliving or a traditional rental, here's the step-by-step playbook to get settled fast.

• •Book a temporary stay (Airbnb or hostel) for your first 2 weeks — don't sign a lease sight-unseen
• •Get a local SIM card on day 1 — most landlords only respond to local numbers
• •Open a local bank account ASAP (Revolut or N26 work across Europe as a bridge)
• •Register your address (Anmeldung in Germany, mairie in France, empadronamiento in Spain) — you need this for everything
• •Bring translated documents: employment contract or proof of income, passport copies, previous landlord reference
• •Budget for a deposit of 1–3 months rent, plus first month upfront

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Founders moving to Europe consistently make the same housing mistakes. Avoid these and you'll save weeks of stress.

• •Don't sign a lease without Anmeldung permission (Germany) — some landlords block registration, which locks you out of banking and visas
• •Don't pay deposits via wire transfer to strangers — scams are rampant on Facebook groups and Craigslist-style sites
• •Don't overcommit to a long lease in your first city — try coliving or a short sublet first
• •Don't ignore furnished options — buying furniture in a city you might leave soon is a waste
• •Don't forget renter's insurance — it's usually cheap and often required