Rent Prices in Berlin in 2023: How Much Is Too Much?
How much will you spend on rent in Berlin? The German capital isn’t cheap as it used to be. Now, many foreigners and locals get surprised by rapidly rising rents and the cost of living in the city. Yes, eating out in Berlin is still cheaper than in other large German cities, but rents are closing Munich’s rates.
In 2023, the average rent of an apartment in Berlin is €23,57 per m². Rents have increased significantly, with many neighborhoods becoming over 20% more expensive to live in. An average studio will cost you €28.43 per square meter, while a one-bedroom apartment is rented out for €23.25/m².
Anyone moving to Berlin in 2023 should be prepared for high rent prices. Even a tiny studio costs about €853 per month. The German capital has become less affordable for low-income people and students, where many rent a room in a shared apartment to afford local rates. But Berlin remains one of the best places to stay in Germany and in Europe.
PS: Don’t forget to take out liability insurance when renting a flat in Germany.
Check out our article on rent prices across Germany.
Average rent prices in Berlin
In December 2022, the average rent in Berlin is €23,57/m². In 2011, a square meter cost an average of €7 per m².
That said, the most expensive neighborhood in Berlin has an average rent of €34,47/m² and the cheapest of €11,18/m².
However, according to Statista, in the third quarter of 2022, the average rent for a square meter was €12,78. In contrast, in 2020, one square meter in Berlin’s flats was rented for €9,9.
With rising worldwide inflation and cost of living, rents in Berlin have increased significantly. Compared to the 3rd quarter of 2017, the city’s rents increased by 34%.
In addition, the demand for housing is as never before. Many foreigners and locals have been flocking into the city in recent years.
There is a large difference between districts and rent prices. In some neighborhoods, you can pay as much as €30 per square meter.
The smaller the apartment, the higher the price. So, a flat with only 30m² (studio) costs €28.43 per square meter. At the same time, you can rent a 100 m² for significantly less – €20.32/m².
In the graph below, you can see where is the rent of a two-bedroom apartment (75m²) is the most expensive and where it’s the cheapest. The basis for calculation is a net income of €2,100.
If you earn €5,000 net per month, you can afford to live in any neighborhood.
But you might also be wondering where to stay in Berlin and what the prices are:
Apartment rent prices
Rent is highly influenced by the size of the apartment. So, the smaller the place, the more expensive it is. The picture below shows how rent prices (per m²) of different apartment sizes have changed from 2011 to 2021.
A square meter in a studio was always more expensive than in larger flats.
Demand for apartments is higher than for houses. Hence, they are more expensive to rent regarding the cost per square meter. Here is an overview of rent prices for different apartment sizes in Berlin:
- 30m² apartment – the average rent is €28.43/m²
- 60m² apartment – the average rent is 23.25/m²
- 100m² flat – €20.32/m²
Therefore, it makes sense to rent a larger place if you have a budget for it. Here are typical rates you will see for apartments of that size:
| Studio (30 m2) | One-bedroom (60 m2) | Two-bedrooms (100 m2) | |
| Berlin | €853 | €1,395 | €2,032 |
Rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in various districts
- Friedrichsfelde: €998 – €1,500
- Charlottenburg: €1,300 – €1,600
- Prenzlauer Berg: €1,100 – €1,700
- Friedrichshain: €850 – €1,500
- Mitte: €990 – €1,500
If you need a small apartment but don’t want to pay a triple price, check out some affordable districts like Hellersdorf, Französisch, Rudow, and some others. These places have average rents between €11 and €14 per square meter.
House rent prices
Berlin is a large city, you will rarely see entire houses for rent, especially within the central districts. Yet, someone willing to live in the suburbs might be able to rent a whole house.
Keep in mind that the rent for a house in Berlin is above the national average. That said, the average rent for a 100 square meter home in Berlin is €17.96/m², which is cheaper than apartments.
The larger the house, the more you pay per square meter. So in 2022, the rates look as follows:
- 100m² – the average rent is €17.96/m²
- 150m² – the average rent is €18.70/m²
- 200m² – €20.53/m²
Cheapest areas to rent a house in Berlin:
| Neighborhood | €/m² |
|---|---|
| Müggelheim | 13,87 |
| Rosenthal | 14,29 |
| Bohnsdorf | 14,72 |
| Altglienicke | 14,85 |
| Rudow | 15,67 |
| Frohnau | 16,09 |
| Heiligensee | 16,54 |
| Lichtenrade | 16,88 |
| Lankwitz | 16,89 |
| Britz | 16,97 |
| Haselhorst | 17,48 |
| Wannsee | 17,96 |
If you are looking to buy property in Berlin, a house can be a better deal too. The average purchase price for a home in Berlin is currently around €5,521.21 per square meter, which is €795.57 less than for an apartment.
Cheapest neighborhoods to rent in Berlin
The cheapest place to live in Berlin is Hellersdorf. Below you can see the lowest rent prices for apartments and respective districts:
| Neighborhood | €/m² |
|---|---|
| Hellersdorf | 11,18 |
| Neu-Hohenschönhausen | 13,21 |
| Französisch | 13,98 |
| Rudow | 14,11 |
| Karow | 14,28 |
| Alt-Hohenschönhausen | 14,53 |
| Hermsdorf | 14,86 |
| Buckow | 14,95 |
| Gesundbrunnen | 14,96 |
| Altglienicke | 15,19 |
| Friedrichshagen | 15,40 |
| Weißensee | 15,54 |
| Staaken | 15,76 |
| Rummelsburg | 15,87 |
| Frohnau | 15,98 |
| Kladow | 16,10 |
| Zehlendorf | 16,22 |
| Lichterfelde | 16,45 |
| Haselhorst | 16,58 |
| Moabit | 16,74 |
| Konradshöhe | 16,83 |
| Lichtenrade | 16,92 |
Most expensive neighborhoods for renting in Berlin
Some areas in Berlin always were expensive, but some have recently become pricey. So, rents in the neighborhoods like Alt-Treptow and Plänterwald have increased by 21.6% from 2021. But it’s still an ideal place to stay in Berlin.
The district of Niederschöneweide has grown by 21.5% over the past three years.
Rent increases of more than 20% also were noticed in Moabit, Hansaviertel, Wedding, Friedrichshain, and Gesundbrunnen.
In the table, you can see the priciest areas to rent in Berlin:
| Neighborhood | €/m² |
|---|---|
| Oberschöneweide | 34,47 |
| Dahlem | 30,21 |
| Treptow | 28,93 |
| Schmöckwitz | 28,39 |
| Schmargendorf | 27,77 |
| Adlershof | 27,63 |
| Mitte | 27,60 |
| Marienfelde | 26,76 |
| Prenzlauer Berg | 26,26 |
| Kreuzberg | 25,97 |
| Plänterwald | 25,97 |
| Friedrichsfelde | 25,87 |
| Friedrichshain | 25,72 |
| Wilmersdorf | 25,45 |
| Charlottenburg | 24,91 |
| Tiergarten | 24,80 |
| Wedding | 24,10 |
| Biesdorf | 23,83 |
| Niederschönhausen | 22,39 |
| Schöneberg | 21,80 |
| Pankow | 21,79 |
| Tempelhof | 20,71 |
Besides, an apartment in a popular Neukölln will cost you €20,64 per m². A trendy Berlin Mitte also belongs to one of the most expensive districts of Berlin, with €27,60 per square meter.
Also read: Bad neighborhoods in Berlin.
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