Rent prices in major German cities have risen by 51% in a decade

A new study based on data from the market research institute 'Empirica' reveals a significant increase in rental prices in major German cities over the past decade. The average rent across all cities studied rose by 51%, according to the findings.

In Berlin, the largest city examined, the average asking rent per square meter rose from €8.93 in early 2016 to €15.80 in early 2026, an increase of 76.9%. In Hamburg, Germany's second-largest city, rents increased by 54.2% to €16.18 per square meter, while in Munich they rose by 51.6% to €23.26.

Even sharper increases were recorded in northern German cities. In Rostock, rents surged by 83% to an average of €11 per square meter, and in Lübeck they rose by 71.3% to €12.52.

In response to these figures, Stefan Körzell, deputy chairman of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), called for stronger government action. He stressed the need for greater investment in social and public housing, as well as stricter regulations against excessive rents. Körzell specifically criticized the conservative-led coalition government's plans to cut housing benefits, arguing that the burden should instead fall on those with large fortunes and inheritances.

The rental and housing affordability crisis in Germany has been the subject of widespread protests and debate for several years, and the new data has intensified calls for political intervention.