Student housing crisis: German rental prices soar as new term begins

The new academic year begins at most German universities on 1 October. Students are still searching for places to live, but rental prices have risen sharply, according to the latest analysis by the Moses Mendelssohn Institute and the platform Wg-gesucht.de, reports Deutsche Welle.

According to Deutsche Welle, the average cost of renting a room for a student in Germany is currently 489 euros per month (approx. £425), an increase of 17 euros compared to the winter semester of 2023/2024. Prices vary significantly depending on the city.

The most expensive place is Munich, where the average price for a room in a shared apartment is 790 euros (approx. £687), which is an increase of 40 euros compared to the previous year.

We read that other cities include Frankfurt, with a price of 680 euros (£592) (an increase of 50 euros), Berlin, 650 euros (£566) (no change from last year), Hamburg, 620 euros (£540) (an increase of 20 euros), and Cologne, 600 euros (£522) (an increase of 30 euros).

Stefan Brauckman, the report's author, points out that favourable offers quickly disappear from the market, and those admitted to studies later or having accommodation issues, for example, due to a visa, are under greater market pressure.

Rooms are cheaper in cities like Siegen (330 euros, £287), Jena (328 euros, £286), Wismar (325 euros, £283), and Chemnitz (290 euros, £252), although the report's authors warn that the data from these places are not as reliable as in larger centres. "Deutsche Welle" reports that the authors warn that the data from these places are not as reliable as in larger centres.

The analysis is based on over 9,000 offers posted online during the last two weeks of August. It covers 88 German cities with higher education institutions and over 5,000 students (excluding part-time studies and administrative schools). Brauckmann emphasizes that these institutions educate over 90 per cent of all students in Germany.