Overview
- The Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft assessed 12 metropolitan regions using 23 indicators across six life domains to create a composite index.
- Munich’s metropolitan region scored 46.5 for the lowest ranking, narrowly behind Nuremberg at 47.9, while the Ruhrgebiet led with 55.7 ahead of the Rhineland at 53.0 and Rhine-Neckar at 51.3.
- The Munich region performed particularly poorly in culture and leisure (rank 11) and in transport and supply (rank 10), alongside the country’s highest property and rental prices.
- The city of Munich alone ranks strongly in several categories, but longer distances and fewer amenities in surrounding districts depress the overall regional score.
- IW credits the Ruhrgebiet’s polycentric structure with shorter daily travel times, denser cultural and leisure offerings, strong public transport coverage, and moderate housing costs, including an estimated 31% time saving versus the national average.