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Renting in Monaco: Costs, Process and the Residency Link

Step by step: which flats foreigners can rent, what you pay at signing, and the lease you need for a residence permit.

A foreigner can rent a home in Monaco only in the free sector, the open market where flats are let to tenants of any nationality. The other two sectors are closed to most newcomers: state-owned (domanial) housing is allocated to Monegasque households, and the protected sector (buildings completed before 1 September 1947) gives priority to Monegasques and certain categories of residents. Here is how a free-sector rental works, how much cash you need on day one, and what the administration asks for a residence permit.

Right now MonacoTop lists 7 long-term rentals inside Monaco, from €13,000 to €40,000 a month, median €29,800.

Long-term rentals in Monaco right now

How a Monaco rental works

1. Viewing and choosing, almost always through an agency. 2. Tenant file: passport and proof of means (a bank reference, income or an employment contract). 3. Signing a residential lease (bail d'habitation), usually for one to three years and tacitly renewable. 4. Paying at signing: the first quarter's rent (rent is usually paid quarterly in advance), the deposit, the agency fee and the lease registration duty. 5. Registering the lease with Monaco's tax department (Direction des Services Fiscaux), usually handled by the agency. 6. The check-in inventory (état des lieux), often drawn up by a bailiff (huissier). 7. Electricity and gas with SMEG, water with SMEaux, plus home insurance, which most leases require.

How much you pay at signing

Deposit: usually three months' rent, sometimes more. Agency fee: on the Chambre Immobilière Monégasque scale, 10% charged to the tenant (usually of the first year's rent) plus 20% VAT; the landlord pays a separate 10%. Lease registration: usually 1% of the annual rent including service charges, paid by the tenant. With the first quarter's rent that comes to roughly seven to eight months of rent up front, so budget for it.

Renting and the residence permit

For a first residence permit the administration requires accommodation in Monaco large enough for everyone living there. A tenant proves it with a tenancy agreement registered with the tax department; an owner with a notarised deed; someone living with a relative or partner with a certificate of free accommodation. An electricity contract or the latest bill is also required. Leases used for residency are usually signed for at least a year. The first permit costs €80 and can be requested online (teleservice.gouv.mc) or at the Residency Section, 9 rue Suffren-Reymond. Non-EEA nationals first obtain a long-stay type D visa through the French consulate.

Common mistakes

Renting in Beausoleil, Cap-d'Ail or Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the belief that it is Monaco: those streets are in France even when they look straight onto the Principality, and such a lease does not count for Monaco residency. Taking a holiday or seasonal let: a residence permit needs a registered residential lease. Not budgeting for the deposit, fee and quarter in advance: day one costs far more than one month's rent.

Example: a €10,000-a-month flat

First quarter's rent€30,000
Deposit (3 months)€30,000
Agency fee (10% of annual rent + 20% VAT)€14,400
Lease registration (1% of annual rent)€1,200
Due at signing≈ €75,600

Plus 1% of the annual service charges in the duty, and the check-in inventory. Indicative only: the lease sets the exact terms.

Renting in Monaco — FAQ

Can a foreigner rent an apartment in Monaco?
Yes. In the free sector flats are let to tenants of any nationality. State-owned housing and most of the protected sector (buildings from before 1947) are reserved for Monegasques and certain categories of residents.
What do you pay when signing a lease in Monaco?
Usually the first quarter's rent in advance, a deposit of about three months, an agency fee of 10% of the annual rent plus 20% VAT, and a registration duty of about 1% of the annual rent. For a €10,000-a-month flat that is roughly €75,000 on day one.
Can a rental be used for a Monaco residence permit?
Yes, if the flat is inside Monaco, large enough for the household, and the lease is registered with Monaco's tax department. Leases used for residency are usually signed for at least a year.

Looking for a flat that works for residency?

Tell us your budget, preferred district and moving date. A MonacoTop advisor will shortlist flats inside Monaco and check the lease will work for a residence permit.

Speak to an advisorMonaco residency guide

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rates and practice are indicative and change; check the terms of a specific rental in the lease and with the agency.