Prices in Berlin, Germany, increased for both newly built and existing houses in 2023. In the fourth quarter of 2023, newly built houses sold for **** percent higher than in the same period in 2022. Conversely, prices for existing apartments declined by *** percent. In Germany's top five markets, newly built houses experienced the highest price growth.

Housing Index in Germany decreased to 218.19 points in June from 218.58 points in May of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Germany House Price Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The average price of detached and duplex houses in the biggest cities in Germany varied between approximately ***** euros and 10,000 euros per square meter in 2024. Housing was most expensive in Munich, where the square meter price of houses amounted to ***** euros. Conversely, Berlin was most affordable, with the square meter price at ***** euros. How have German house prices evolved? House prices maintained an upward trend for more than a decade, with 2020 and 2021 experiencing exceptionally high growth rates. In 2021, the nominal year-on-year change exceeded 10 percent. Nevertheless, the second half of 2022 saw the market slowing, with the annual percentage change turning negative for the first time in 12 years. Another way to examine the price growth is through the house price index, which uses 2015 as a base. At its peak in 2022, the German house price index measured about *** percent, which means that a house bought in 2015 would have appreciated by ** percent. Is housing affordable in Germany? Housing affordability depends greatly on income: High-income areas often tend to have more expensive housing, which does not necessarily make them unaffordable. The house price to income index measures the development of the cost of housing relative to income. In the first quarter of 2024, the index value stood at ***, meaning that since 2015, house price growth has outpaced income growth by about ** percent. Compared with the average for the euro area, this value was lower.

Rents in Germany continued to increase in all seven major cities in 2024. The average rent per square meter in Munich was approximately **** euros — the highest in the country. Conversely, Düsseldorf had the most affordable rent, at approximately **** euros per square meter. But how does renting compare to buying? According to the house price to rent ratio, house prices in Germany have risen faster than rents, making renting more affordable than buying. Affordability of housing in Germany In 2023, Germany was among the European countries with a relatively high house price to income ratio in Europe. The indicator compares the affordability of housing across OECD countries and is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 chosen as a base year. Between 2012 and 2022, property prices in the country rose much faster than income, with the house price to income index peaking at *** index points at the beginning of 2022. Slower house price growth in the following years has led to the index declining, as incomes catch up. Nevertheless, homebuyers in 2024 faced significantly higher mortgage interest rates, contributing to a higher final cost. How much does buying a property in Germany cost? Just as with renting, Munich was the most expensive city for newly built apartments. In 2024, the cost per square meter in Munich was almost ***** euros pricier than in the runner-up city, Frankfurt. Detached and semi-detached houses are usually more expensive. The price gap between Munich and the second most expensive city, Stuttgart, was nearly ***** euros per square meter.

The house price index in Germany increased steadily from 2016 to 2022, followed by a decline until the first quarter of 2024. The index amounted to 100 in 2015 and, at its peak in the second quarter of 2022, exceeded 166 index points, meaning that house prices had risen by 66 percent during that period. Among the leading residential real estate markets in Germany, Munich had the highest square meter price for apartments.

Geneva stands out as Europe's most expensive city for apartment purchases in early 2025, with prices reaching a staggering 15,720 euros per square meter. This Swiss city's real estate market dwarfs even high-cost locations like Zurich and London, highlighting the extreme disparities in housing affordability across the continent. The stark contrast between Geneva and more affordable cities like Nantes, France, where the price was 3,700 euros per square meter, underscores the complex factors influencing urban property markets in Europe. Rental market dynamics and affordability challenges While purchase prices vary widely, rental markets across Europe also show significant differences. London maintained its position as the continent's priciest city for apartment rentals in 2023, with the average monthly costs for a rental apartment amounting to 36.1 euros per square meter. This figure is double the rent in Lisbon, Portugal or Madrid, Spain, and substantially higher than in other major capitals like Paris and Berlin. The disparity in rental costs reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the intricate balance of supply and demand in urban centers. Economic factors influencing housing costs The European housing market is influenced by various economic factors, including inflation and energy costs. As of April 2025, the European Union's inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, with significant variations among member states. Romania experienced the highest inflation at 4.9 percent, while France and Cyprus maintained lower rates. These economic pressures, coupled with rising energy costs, contribute to the overall cost of living and housing affordability across Europe. The volatility in electricity prices, particularly in countries like Italy where rates are projected to reach 153.83 euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, further impacts housing-related expenses for both homeowners and renters.

In 2022, Berlin Mitte was the most expensive district in Berlin, Germany, for new rental contracts. Median rents show the middle value of rent expenditure, meaning that 50 percent of newly rented apartments in Berlin Mitte in 2022 had rental costs exceeding 15.19 euros per square meter, and 50 percent of apartments had rents below this value. Meanwhile, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg witnessed the highest rental price increase since 2018.

The mortgage interest rate in Germany decreased notably between 2013 and 2022, falling below *** percent. This was part of an overall trend of falling mortgage interest rates in Europe. The mortgage interest rate in Germany has since increased to *** percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. The German mortgage market In Europe, Germany is the second-largest mortgage market, with a total value of mortgages outstanding amounting to nearly *** trillion euros. Mortgage loans are one of the oldest bank products. Among the factors that influence mortgage interest rates are inflation, economic growth, monetary policies, the bond market, the stability of lenders, and the overall conditions of the housing market. Mortgage loans The higher cost of borrowing has a significant effect on the market: While the interest rates were at their lowest, mortgage lending was on the rise. In 2023, when the rates reached a 10-year-high, the quarterly gross mortgage lending fell to the lowest value since 2014. Meanwhile, house prices have also increased substantially in recent years. According to the House Price Index in Germany, between 2015 and 2024, house prices increased by nearly ** percent.

The value for 2024 represents a forecast value. The seven top locations shown include: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. In 2024, the prime rent for retail properties in the aforementioned cities averaged around ****** euros per square meter. According to the source, the prime rent represents an average of the top 3 to * percent of lettings in the market, meaning that the figure quoted does not correspond to the absolute prime rent.

In 2023, the German house price index was almost 149.2 percent, based on preliminary figures. This was an increase of around 49 percent compared to the index year of 2015.

The sixth arrondissement of Paris was the area with the highest residential real estate price in the French capital as of May 2025. In this arrondissement, which includes several historical sites like Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Académie Française, and the Jardin du Luxembourg, the average price per square meter amounted to over ****** euros. Paris is known for being one of the most expensive European cities to rent an apartment. The price difference in the twenty arrondissements of Paris The French capital is divided into twenty arrondissements, which correspond to administrative districts. Because of their geographical situations in regards with the economic centers of the city of Paris, as well as their environments and the living conditions they offer, arrondissements do not have the same average price per square meter. For example, the average square meter price for an apartment in cosmopolitan districts like the 19th and the 20th arrondissements, located in the northeastern part of the city, amounted to around ***** euros, compared to close to ****** euros in Le Marais (4th arrondissement). Paris was by far the most expensive city in France, regardless of the location of the accommodation. In 2023, the average price per square meter for rental flats reached ** euros in Paris and ** euros in Marseille, France’s second-largest city. The rise in rental prices in European cities It appears cities in Europe have seen their rental prices increasing over the past years. In Germany, for instance, if Berlin used to be described as “poor but sexy” (to quote Berlin’s former mayor Klaus Wowereit), it appears that the German capital is not unaffected by the rise in rents. From 2016 to 2022, the average rent price of residential property in Berlin went from *** euros per square meter to **** euros five years later.

Berlin was the European city with the most office stock volume in 2022, followed by Paris, and Munich. Office floor space in the German capital amounted to approximately **** million square meters. Paris and Munich, on the other hand, had roughly **** and **** million square meters, respectively. London's office market is also not to be underestimated, with London City and West End alone totaling **** million square meters. Which is the most expensive office real estate market in Europe? With over ***** euros per square meter per year, Central London yielded the highest rent among European cities. Both Brexit and the coronavirus affected demand for office space in London, causing rents to stall in many of London's districts. Where are the lowest vacancy rates in Europe? One of the main signs that the office market is performing well is that vacancy rates remain low. Low vacancy rates encourage developers to build more offices, leading to the growth of the sector. The vacancy rates of prime offices - the best-in-class offices on the most desired locations - were the lowest Berlin, Luxembourg, and Hamburg in 2022.

Between 2008 and 2022, the homeownership rate in Germany decreased slightly. In 2022, about 46.7 percent of the population lived in an owner-occupied dwelling. This makes Germany one of the countries with the lowest homeownership rate and the biggest rental residential real estate market in Europe.