Renting in Bochum
A new lease costs 9.58 € per m², the 31st highest of 37 cities, up 4.5% on a year ago in a balanced market.
- 580€/moA 60 m² flat, cold. Half of listings: 8.12 to 10.79 € per m².
- +25%Change over five years. +4.5% in the last 12 months.
- 13.9%Rent burden. Share of what two average residents earn after tax (2023).
- +5.3%Forecast, next 12 months. Likely 9.80 to 10.30 € per m².
The market in brief
In June 2026 the median asking rent in Bochum stood at 9.58 €/m², up 4.5 % year‑on‑year and 24.9 % over the past five years. The 25th‑percentile was 8.12 €/m² and the 75th‑percentile 10.79 €/m², placing the city 31st of the 37 most expensive German markets.
The market remains balanced with a vacancy rate of 2.2 % and an average of 31 days on market; 20 % of listings are let within a week. Asking rents are 53 % above the 2022 existing‑rent level of 6.25 €/m², while a typical 60 m² unit costs about 575 € per month and the rent‑burden for two residents is 13.9 %.
A model estimate forecasts the median asking rent to reach 10.09 €/m² in the next 12 months, within a range of 9.8 – 10.3 €/m², implying a 5.3 % increase.
The facts this summary was allowed to use
{
"city": "Bochum",
"latest_month": "2026-06",
"median_asking_rent_eur_sqm": 9.58,
"p25_eur_sqm": 8.12,
"p75_eur_sqm": 10.79,
"rank_of_37_cities_most_expensive": 31,
"yoy_change_pct": 4.5,
"five_year_change_pct": 24.9,
"zensus_2022_existing_rent_eur_sqm": 6.25,
"asking_premium_vs_existing_pct": 53,
"rent_60sqm_eur_month": 575,
"rent_burden_pct_two_residents": 13.9,
"days_on_market": 31,
"share_let_within_week_pct": 20,
"market_balance": "balanced",
"vacancy_rate_pct": 2.2,
"population_growth_5y_pct": 0.3,
"forecast_12m_median_eur_sqm": 10.09,
"forecast_12m_low_eur_sqm": 9.8,
"forecast_12m_high_eur_sqm": 10.3,
"forecast_12m_change_pct": 5.3,
"mortgage_rate_pct": 4.09,
"recent_anomalies": []
}How Bochum compares
Each dot is one of the 37 cities; blue is Bochum. Hover a grey dot to see which.
Where rents in Bochum are heading
Median asking rent in Bochum, € 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.
Not every street costs the same
Rent per 100 m square, Bochum
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.
How fast flats are let
A listing in Bochum stays online for about 31 days, and 1 in 5 flats are gone within a week. Fewer means more competition: have your documents (SCHUFA, payslips) ready before you view.
The census found 2.2% of flats empty and available (), while the population grew +0.3% in five years. That makes the market balanced on our .
Days a listing stays online
Rolling average over four quarters. Lower means a faster, tighter market.
What would a flat in Bochum cost you?
Half of all listings: 490 € to 650 €. 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 610 € a year from now (likely between 590 € and 620 €).
It stays within 30% of your income in 36 of 37 cities. Noticeably cheaper options: (370 €) and (450 €).