Overview
- An official reply to a parliamentary inquiry found advertised cold rents in 14 large cities rose about 43% from 2016 to 2025, with cold rent meaning the listing price before utilities.
- Berlin recorded the steepest jump, up 69% to 15.25 euros per square meter for newly advertised apartments in 2025.
- Munich remained the most expensive for new leases at 21.29 euros per square meter in 2025 despite a below‑average increase of 37%.
- Other cities also climbed sharply, including Leipzig at 67%, Bremen and Duisburg at 46%, Essen and Düsseldorf at 43%, Hamburg at 42%, Frankfurt at 39%, and Stuttgart at 37%.
- The housing ministry warned that online listings are not representative of all new rentals and can skew high, and the Left Party is using the figures to push a nationwide rent cap and tougher action against excessive rents.