Study: Rents in Major German Cities Rose 51% in Ten Years
Rents in Germany's 40 largest cities have increased by an average of 51% over the past decade, according to a study by the German Trade Union Confederation. The sharpest rises were recorded in Berlin, Rostock and Lübeck.
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According to a study commissioned by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and based on data from market research institute Empirica, rents in Germany's 40 largest cities have risen by 51% over the past ten years.
In Berlin, the country's largest city, the average asking rent increased by 76.9% from €8.93 per square meter in early 2016 to €15.80 in early 2026. Hamburg saw a 54.2% rise to €16.18, and Munich saw a 51.6% increase to €23.26 per square meter.
Even steeper percentage increases were recorded in northern Germany: in Rostock, rents rose by 83% to an average of €11 per square meter, and in Lübeck by 71.3% to €12.52.
DGB deputy chairman Stefan Körzell called for stronger political measures, including greater investment in social and public housing, as well as stricter rules against excessive rents. He criticized the conservative-led coalition government's plans to cut housing benefits, saying it "once again turns the axe against the weakest, instead of finally making those with large fortunes and inheritances take greater responsibility."
Protests and debates over the housing crisis have been ongoing in Germany for several years.
