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Renting in Lithuania is straightforward by European standards — no punishing agency fees, reasonable deposits, and mostly furnished flats. But there are two things that catch foreigners out, and both are worth knowing before you view anything.
Ask About Heating Before You Ask About Anything Else
"What were the December, January and February heating bills?"
Not the average. Not the summer figure. The actual winter months.
Lithuanian winters are long, and heating runs from roughly October to April. In a poorly insulated building, winter bills can be several times the summer figure — enough that a cheap flat can be the expensive one overall.
The variable is building quality, not location or rent:
Expensive to heat
- ⚠ Un-renovated Soviet-era blocks
- ⚠ Old buildings without external insulation
- ⚠ Single-glazed or draughty windows
- ⚠ Top-floor or corner flats in old blocks
Cheaper to heat
- ✓ New builds
- ✓ Renovated blocks with external insulation
- ✓ Modern windows
- ✓ Mid-floor flats with neighbours above and below
Many Soviet-era blocks have been renovated with external insulation, and the difference is dramatic. Ask whether the building has been renovated (renovuotas) — it's a normal question here and landlords expect it.
A landlord who won't show you actual bills is telling you something.
The Residence Declaration Problem
This is the second thing that catches people, and it can genuinely disrupt your immigration status.
You need to declare your place of residence (deklaruoti gyvenamąją vietą) at the municipality — it's part of establishing yourself legally, and it feeds into your asmens kodas and residence permit processes.
That requires your landlord's cooperation. Some informal landlords — particularly those not declaring rental income — are reluctant.
Ask before you sign, not after. "Can I declare my residence at this address?" If the answer is anything other than a clear yes, walk away. A cheaper flat you can't register at is not cheaper — it can delay your permit and complicate everything downstream.
Where to Look
- Aruodas.lt — the largest Lithuanian property portal, and where most listings appear first
- Skelbiu.lt — general classifieds with a substantial rental section
- Facebook groups — active for both long-term rentals and flatshares, and often where informal listings appear
- Agencies — useful if you don't speak Lithuanian, though listings overlap heavily with the portals
- University housing offices — students should start here; dormitories are the cheapest option by a clear margin
Listings are usually in Lithuanian. Browser translation handles them adequately, and the important fields — price, size in m², floor, number of rooms — are numeric anyway.
Useful vocabulary for listings
Nuoma — rent · Butas — apartment · Kambarys — room · Su baldais — furnished · Renovuotas — renovated · Aukštas — floor · Šildymas — heating · Komunaliniai — utilities · Užstatas — deposit
Deposits and Upfront Costs
Budget for roughly double a normal month when you move in.
| Cost | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit | Verify | Commonly one month's rent |
| First month's rent | In advance | Paid on signing |
| Agency fee | Verify | Where an agency is involved |
| Utilities | Verify | Often separate from rent — confirm |
⚠ Verify before publishing. Typical deposit levels and agency fee practice need confirming from current market listings, along with rent ranges by city.
You'll need a working bank account to pay any of this
Landlords expect bank transfers, not cash. Traditional banks want a residence permit and asmens kodas you won't have yet — but Revolut, Paysera and Wise open with just a passport, from abroad, before you arrive. Revolut issues Lithuanian IBANs so the transfer looks entirely domestic. How to open an account →
The Contract
Get one in writing. Verbal arrangements happen and they leave you exposed — on your deposit, on notice, and on your ability to declare residence.
What the contract should state clearly:
- Rent, and exactly what it includes
- Which utilities you pay separately, and how they're calculated
- Deposit amount and the conditions for its return
- Duration and notice period on both sides
- That you may declare your residence at the address
- Inventory of furniture and appliances, with their condition
- Who handles repairs and at whose cost
Don't sign a Lithuanian-language contract you can't read. Ask for an English version or a translation. If the landlord won't provide one, run it through a translation tool at minimum — and be especially careful about the deposit return conditions and the notice period.
Photograph everything at move-in — every room, every existing mark or damage, meter readings — and send the photos to the landlord by message so there's a timestamped record. This is the single most effective thing you can do to protect your deposit.
What to Check at a Viewing
Winter heating bills
December, January and February. Actual figures, not estimates.
Whether you can declare residence
A clear yes, or move on.
Is the building renovated?
External insulation transforms running costs.
Windows and draughts
Open and close them. Check the seals.
Water pressure and hot water
Run the taps and the shower.
Damp and ventilation
Check corners, bathroom, behind furniture. Particularly important in Klaipėda.
Internet
What's available, and is it already connected? Lithuanian fibre is excellent and cheap — worth having from day one.
Noise and neighbours
Visit at a different time of day if you can.
Utilities
Utilities (komunaliniai) are frequently separate from rent, and the distinction matters because winter changes everything.
- Heating — the big variable. Often district heating in apartment blocks, billed by consumption or floor area
- Hot water — usually separate from cold
- Electricity — billed to you directly or via the landlord
- Cold water — usually metered
- Building maintenance — a monthly charge in most blocks
- Internet — cheap and fast; often you arrange it yourself
Clarify who pays what in writing. "Rent including utilities" and "rent plus utilities" are very different numbers in January.
Common Mistakes
Comparing rents without comparing heating
The cheapest rent in an un-renovated block can cost more overall. Ask for winter bills every time.
Not confirming you can declare residence
This can delay your residence permit. Ask before signing.
Renting without a written contract
Leaves you exposed on the deposit, notice and registration.
Not documenting the condition at move-in
Photograph everything and send it to the landlord. It's how you get your deposit back.
Assuming "utilities included" means all of them
Get the list in writing. Heating is the one that matters.
Signing something you can't read
Ask for a translation, particularly of the deposit and notice clauses.
Only viewing in summer
Everything looks fine in July. If you're arriving mid-year, ask more questions rather than fewer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much deposit is normal in Lithuania?
Commonly one month's rent, paid alongside the first month. Confirm the return conditions in the contract.
Can I rent before I have a residence permit?
Generally yes — landlords are mainly concerned with whether you can pay. You will need a bank account, which is why opening a fintech account before arriving matters.
Are apartments furnished?
Frequently yes, which helps enormously when arriving from abroad. Check the inventory and photograph everything at move-in.
Why does my landlord not want me to declare residence?
Usually because they aren't declaring the rental income. It's their problem, but it becomes yours — a flat you can't register at can delay your permit. Find another one.
How much are utilities in winter?
Highly variable depending on insulation. This is precisely why you ask for actual December–February bills rather than an average.
Do I need an agency?
Not necessarily. Most listings are on Aruodas.lt and Skelbiu.lt. An agency can help if you don't speak Lithuanian, but the listings largely overlap.
Can I pay rent in cash?
Landlords generally expect bank transfers, and a transfer record protects you both. It's also better evidence if any dispute arises.
What if the landlord keeps my deposit unfairly?
Your written contract and your move-in photographs are what settle this. Without them it becomes your word against theirs.
Related Guides
Disclaimer. General guidance, not legal advice. Rental law and market practice change — check current listings and take advice on any contract you're unsure about. Some links on this page are affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no cost to you.