Renting in Berlin
A new lease costs 15.18 € per m², the 6th highest of 37 cities, down 2.0% on a year ago in a tight market.
- 910€/moA 60 m² flat, cold. Half of listings: 10.38 to 19.98 € per m².
- +29%Change over five years. -2.0% in the last 12 months.
- 20.9%Rent burden. Share of what two average residents earn after tax (2023).
- +7.0%Forecast, next 12 months. Likely 15.42 to 16.73 € per m².
The market in brief
Berlin’s median asking rent sits at 15.18 €/m² in June 2026, a 2.0 % year‑on‑year decline but still 29.5 % above the level five years ago. The city ranks 6th among the 37 most expensive German markets, with the 25th‑percentile at 10.38 €/m² and the 75th‑percentile at 19.98 €/m². Asking rents are almost double existing rents (98 % premium) and a 60 m² unit costs about 911 € per month, representing a 20.9 % rent‑burden for two residents.
The market remains tight: vacancy is only 1.3 %, average days on market are 26, and 38 % of listings are let within a week. Population growth of 3.9 % over the past five years sustains demand, while mortgage rates sit at 4.09 %.
The model‑based forecast expects median asking rents to rise to 16.24 €/m² within 12 months, a 7.0 % increase, with a range of 15.42 – 16.73 €/m².
The facts this summary was allowed to use
{
"city": "Berlin",
"latest_month": "2026-06",
"median_asking_rent_eur_sqm": 15.18,
"p25_eur_sqm": 10.38,
"p75_eur_sqm": 19.98,
"rank_of_37_cities_most_expensive": 6,
"yoy_change_pct": -2,
"five_year_change_pct": 29.5,
"zensus_2022_existing_rent_eur_sqm": 7.67,
"asking_premium_vs_existing_pct": 98,
"rent_60sqm_eur_month": 911,
"rent_burden_pct_two_residents": 20.9,
"days_on_market": 26,
"share_let_within_week_pct": 38,
"market_balance": "tight",
"vacancy_rate_pct": 1.3,
"population_growth_5y_pct": 3.9,
"forecast_12m_median_eur_sqm": 16.24,
"forecast_12m_low_eur_sqm": 15.42,
"forecast_12m_high_eur_sqm": 16.73,
"forecast_12m_change_pct": 7,
"mortgage_rate_pct": 4.09,
"recent_anomalies": [
{
"month": "2026-05",
"direction": "spike",
"mom_pct": 13.6
},
{
"month": "2022-12",
"direction": "spike",
"mom_pct": 12.2
},
{
"month": "2020-03",
"direction": "drop",
"mom_pct": -2.9
}
]
}How Berlin compares
Each dot is one of the 37 cities; blue is Berlin. Hover a grey dot to see which.
Where rents in Berlin are heading
Median asking rent in Berlin, € per m²
Monthly, with the 3, 6 and 12-month forecast and its 80% range. Use the menu to compare another city.
How to read this chart
The band widens further into the future because uncertainty grows with time. In back-tests, about 8 out of 10 real outcomes fell inside bands like this one.
Dashed circles mark : moves much larger than in the other cities that month.
Unusual months, in plain words
- In May 2026 asking rents jumped 13.6% in a single month, while the typical city moved +0.8%.
- In December 2022 asking rents jumped 12.2% in a single month, while the typical city moved +0.9%.
- In March 2020 asking rents fell 2.9% in a single month, while the typical city moved +0.8%.
- In January 2020 asking rents fell 5.0% in a single month, while the typical city moved +0.5%.
One month is a small sample, so a flag like this is a prompt to look closer rather than proof of a price change. The longer trend is the better guide.
Not every street costs the same
Rent per 100 m square, Berlin
Average net cold rent on existing contracts, May 2022, on a street map. Hover for values; drag to move.
How to read this chart
The colour scale runs from the cheapest 2% to the most expensive 2% of squares, so a few extreme squares don't wash out the rest. A blank area means no or too few rented flats there (parks, industry, water) or the census suppressed the value.
By borough (Bezirk)
Average rent on existing leases, 2022. Red is above the Berlin average, blue below.
How fast flats are let
A listing in Berlin stays online for about 26 days, and 2 in 5 flats are gone within a week. Fewer means more competition: have your documents (SCHUFA, payslips) ready before you view.
The census found 1.3% of flats empty and available (), while the population grew +3.9% in five years. That makes the market tight on our .
Days a listing stays online
Rolling average over four quarters. Lower means a faster, tighter market.
What would a flat in Berlin cost you?
Half of all listings: 620 € to 1,200 €. Heating and running costs come on top.
That is within the common rule of thumb that rent should take no more than 30% of net income.[1] If the trend holds, the same flat would be listed at about 970 € a year from now (likely between 930 € and 1,000 €).
It stays within 30% of your income in 36 of 37 cities. Noticeably cheaper options: (370 €), (450 €) and (490 €).