Overview
- The Moses Mendelssohn Institute reported Monday that the average rent for a WG room has reached €512 a month at the start of the summer semester, with increases still outpacing general inflation.
- Costs vary sharply by location, with Munich at about €800 and Berlin and Hamburg near €650, while Saxony-Anhalt averages €358 and Saxony €372; in North Rhine-Westphalia the average is €485, led by Düsseldorf at €630 and Cologne at €620.
- About 83.4% of students study in cities where average rents exceed the BAföG housing allowance, which is Germany’s main student aid for living costs and currently set at €380.
- Researchers say the lower-price segment is shrinking, and WG-Gesucht reports that many of the few affordable rooms are rented the same day, turning the search into a race for those who can respond fastest.
- MMI and student-services groups call for higher housing support and more budget-oriented homes and dorm places to relieve pressure and keep access to higher education from depending on family income.