Your Expat Community in Luxembourg

That depends on the factors you look for in your ideal destination. Overall ranking of Luxembourg is 18th out of 46 countries, according to our Expat Insider, only because of the difficulty in finding affordable accommodation, struggles with the three official languages, and limited leisure activities.

On the other hand, the living standard is exceptional with completely free public transportation, clean public spaces, and safety being 1st out of 46 countries. 70% of the population in Luxembourg City itself is foreigners, which is why you’ll be able to find your crowd within international social circles. Luxembourg has the highest average salary among the EU countries, helped by the 50% tax exemption benefit.

So, if you’re willing to take every opportunity and make the disadvantages work, Luxembourg can be your ideal destination.

Luxembourg, being the second largest investment fund center after the US, the finance & banking field, the legal Sector, and the Tech field actively recruit international talent. Salaries for entry-level roles start at similar levels across the sectors, but professionals with more experience are paid much more.

The healthcare sector has a wide range of salaries depending on expertise and specialization, with nursing roles earning the lower end, while specialists and surgeons earn significantly higher. In the table below, you’ll see the income figures of the mentioned fields.

These salary ranges reflect the stats report of our Expat Insider, with 4% of the participants making more than 250,000 USD, and 26% earning more than 100,000 USD. Others earn less, which is not so bad because about 67% of the participants report that their income is enough to lead a comfortable life.

Rental costs depend on the location and whether the apartment or house is furnished or not. Eating out frequently will cause more expenses. For a comfortable lifestyle, a single person should expect to spend around 3,000 EUR to 4,000 EUR (approx. 3,500–4,700 USD). Residents can still take advantage of free public transport and save some expenses by cooking at home. Below is a table with the estimated monthly costs of living in Luxembourg.

Whether you must apply for a visa or not depends on your nationality and the purpose of your stay. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens can enter Luxembourg without a visa and must apply for a registration certificate if the purpose of stay is longer than 90 days. Non-EU nationals must obtain a temporary authorization to stay before arrival and then a Type D long-stay visa after arrival.

The declaration of arrival must be made within 3 days of arrival for non-EU nationals and 8 days for others. The most common permits are the salaried worker permit and the EU blue card. You can apply for a long-term residence permit after 5 years of living.

An additional step is that you must do a medical check-up, including TB screening, before the permit is issued. For further details on immigration and registration, you can read our Moving to Luxembourg guide.

Every resident with a job must take out Statutory Health Insurance (SHI). The cost is 5.6% of your gross income, which is paid half by you and half by your employer. The basic coverage includes doctor visits, emergency care, dental services, maternity services, and dental care. However, the National Health Fund (CNS) takes the burden of only 88% of the payment, and the adult patients must pay the remaining 12% out of pocket.

If you don’t want to pay the 12% co-payment, take out Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) that also covers the daily hospital room charges, more costly dental care, etc. Most of the time, you must pay the doctor upfront and get a reimbursement from the CNS later. Duty pharmacies are available 24/7.

Getting an accommodation in Luxembourg is fiercely competitive due to the 3% vacancy rates and the high rental costs. Furnished apartments are around 15% to 30% more expensive than the unfurnished ones. People usually search on property portals such as • AtHome.lu • Immotop.lu • Wortimmo.lu • Vivi.lu It’s not an issue to start with a temporary place to live if you can get an accommodation certificate or a lease. You can do more viewing and submit applications in person in the meantime.

Do prepare documents such as a visa or residence permit, passport, employment contract, pay slips, and bank statements before you start looking for accommodation. Usually, a 2-month deposit will be charged at the signing.

Flexibility on location, instead of being fixated on living in the capital region, will be a good advantage. Another option is living near the border, such as the Lorraine region in France, Trier and Sarrbrücken in Germany, and Arlon and Messancy in Belgium.

It depends on the budget and how close you want to live to certain places like shopping centers, work, etc. High-end areas like Belair and Limpertsberg are quiet and have beautiful parks, making them ideal for families. Kirchberg is a business hub with many public transport connections for those who don’t want to commute much.

Pricing in Bonnevoie and Gare areas is mid-tier, also with transport stops, shopping malls, and a busy city vibe. Esch-sur-Alzette is the most affordable area where you can just take a 25-minute train ride to and from the city center, which is ideal for students and expats with a tight budget.

It is safe without a doubt, considering Luxembourg secured number 1 out of 46 countries in Safety and Security according to our Expat Insider 2025. Crime rates are low, and most crimes committed are not violent, such as pickpocketing and breaking into empty places.

Overall, the safe and secure environment in Luxembourg is an attractive factor that makes solo expats and families consider settling there.

The free nationwide public transport makes getting around Luxembourg much easier since you don’t need to show a ticket. However, you must pay for access to first-class and cross-border trips into nearby countries. You can handle real-time schedules, route planning, and more information on service disruption and others by using the mobiliteit.lu app.

There are direct transport connections from the airport to the city center, such as Bus line 29 or the CFL train. You can also take a taxi from the airport to the city, which costs around 50 EUR to 70 EUR (approx. 60–80 USD). The City Night Bus also operates until 03:30 on Friday and Saturday nights.

The funicular that connects the Pfaffenthal district to the Kirchberg Plateau is free as well. The vel’OH! bike sharing system with over 100 stations offers 1-day or 3-day e-bike rental service for a small fee. Parking lots (P+R) are free for the first 24 hours.

According to our Expat Insider, Luxembourg places 12th in Language, meaning that the language barrier isn’t that big of a struggle. While English is often enough to get by in daily life, the country’s official languages are Luxembourgish, French, and German.

French language is dominant when it comes to administration, legal issues, and the service industry. German is widely used in the media. Last but not least, Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch) is needed for integration into the local social circles and is a requirement for getting citizenship. Plus, you are entitled to 200 hours of paid leave to learn Luxembourgish. For that reason, learning the official languages is recommended for full integration and career prospects.

As a wealthy nation with strong safety and a high quality of life, Luxembourg attracts people from all over the world. Despite half of the population being foreign-born, Luxembourg comes in 29th for Local Friendliness and 34th for Finding Friends according to our Expat Insider.

It doesn’t mean that the locals are unfriendly towards foreigners. It’s more about how people tend to stay within their own social circles instead of pushing themselves to make new friends. Speaking one of the official languages will increase your chance of overcoming the struggles of being stuck in just superficial conversations with the locals.

About half of the population in Luxembourg and 70% in the capital itself are internationals with different cultural backgrounds. This multicultural background will help you find your social circles easily among the international crowds, no matter what your interests and hobbies are.

InterNations is a great place to start, whether you are a newcomer or not. As a global network with an international community in 420 cities worldwide, we offer multiple events weekly and activities to help expats socialize and build friendships. Most people come alone to the events and make new connections without pressure.

Digital platforms like Meetup and Facebook are also another way to meet new people. If you’re into board games, you can visit Bei de Minettsdäpp in Esch-sur-Alzette. Taking language courses will let you make new friends with whom you can share learning experiences.