Moving to Luxembourg: The Complete Money Checklist for Expats

Relocating to the Grand Duchy is exciting, but the administrative and financial setup moves fast. This moving to Luxembourg money checklist breaks the process into four phases — before you arrive, your first week, your first month and your first year — so nothing financial slips through the cracks.

Before you arrive

Preparation abroad saves weeks of friction later.

• Budget for the deposit. Landlords typically ask for two to three months' rent as a guarantee, plus one month upfront and often an agency fee equal to one month plus VAT. On a €2,000 flat, expect to mobilise €8,000–€9,000 before you hold the keys.
• Gather documents. Passport or ID, birth and marriage certificates (translated where required), employment contract, and proof of previous address.
• Notify your home bank you are moving; keep at least one home-country account open for legacy direct debits.
• Line up initial funds in euros so you are not exposed to a bad exchange rate on day one.

First week: register and open a bank account

Two tasks dominate week one.

1. Déclaration d'arrivée. Within a few days of moving you must register at your commune (town hall) with your ID, rental contract and, for non-EU nationals, your residence documents. This registration is the key that unlocks almost everything else — tax card, healthcare, utilities.
2. Open a Luxembourg bank account. You will need it for salary, rent and your deposit. Banks usually ask for your ID, proof of address (the déclaration d'arrivée helps) and sometimes your employment contract.

First month: tax card, CNS and utilities

• Tax card (fiche de retenue d'impôt). Once registered, the tax authority issues your electronic tax card, which sets your withholding tax class. Your employer needs it to run payroll correctly — chase it if payroll is looming.
• CNS affiliation. Employees are registered with the Centre commun de la sécurité sociale by their employer; the CNS (Caisse nationale de santé) then handles health cover. Confirm your affiliation and note that a complementary insurer such as CMCM can top up reimbursements.
• Utilities and telecom. Set up electricity, internet and a local mobile number; many providers require a Luxembourg IBAN for direct debit.

First year: optimise and plan

With the basics running, turn to longer-term finances.

• File your first tax return if required (jointly for married couples, or where you have multiple income sources or want deductions).
• Review deductions: mortgage interest, pension savings (prévoyance-vieillesse), and certain insurance premiums can reduce taxable income.
• Build an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses in your Luxembourg account.
• Revisit currency exposure if you still earn or owe money abroad.

Timeline checklist

Worked example

Lena arrives from abroad to start a Luxembourg City job at €70,000. Before moving she saves €8,500 for a €2,000/month flat (three months' deposit, one month rent, agency fee). Week one she completes her déclaration d'arrivée and opens a bank account. By week three her employer receives her tax card and runs her first payroll onto her new IBAN. Within the month her CNS cover is active and she adds CMCM complementary insurance for €30/month. By month six she has built a €12,000 emergency fund and files her first Luxembourg tax return the following spring, claiming pension-savings and insurance deductions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the déclaration d'arrivée and why does it matter? It is the mandatory registration at your commune (town hall) shortly after you move in. Bring your ID, rental contract and, for non-EU nationals, residence documents. It is the gateway document: your tax card, healthcare affiliation and many utility contracts all depend on being registered.

How much should I budget for a rental deposit in Luxembourg? Plan for two to three months' rent as a guarantee deposit, plus the first month's rent and often an agency fee of one month plus VAT. On a €2,000 apartment that means mobilising roughly €8,000 to €9,000 before you move in, so save this in euros ahead of time.

When do I get my tax card and CNS cover? Both follow your déclaration d'arrivée. The tax authority issues your electronic tax card once you are registered, and your employer registers you with social security so CNS health cover activates. Confirm both within your first month so payroll and reimbursements run smoothly.