Tuesday, April 7
Berlin has seen the highest increase in rent prices than any other German city since 2016. In 2025, they were 69% higher than ten years ago. This matches a nationwide trend that has seen rent prices throughout Germany increase by an average of 43%.
Berlin’s increase is the steepest. Not too far behind is Leipzig, with a similarly high increase of 67%.
The Federal Government released this information in response to a question from Left-wing politician Caren Lay. The average cold rent per square meter in Berlin has climbed from €9.02 to €15.25.
Berlin, however, is not the most expensive city in Germany. That spot goes to Munich, at €21.29 per square meter. Frankfurt am Main was close behind €16.58 and a ten-year increase of 39%, then Stuttgart, with €16.06 per square meter and a 37% increase.
Furthermore, these results show that rental prices for new rentals are now more than twice as high as existing rents. According to the housing market report 2025 by Investitionsbank Berlin, the local comparative rent last year was €7.21 per square meter. In no other German city is the difference between offered and existing rents as large as in Berlin.
A rental price brake has been in force since June 1, 2015, for existing apartments in so-called tight housing markets. According to it, rent should not be 10% above the local comparative rent. But Left politician Lay criticised gaps in the system such as furnishing surcharges and short-term rental agreements allow for such disparity.
