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I want to start this article with an apology: Sorry for bringing up the exasperating topic of Berlin’s rental market. But I had some sort of awakening thanks to the Rent Map that made the rounds on social media yesterday. Claudio and I both have contracts for our flats that are more than 10 years old – way before the hype and sky-rocketing rents that everyone complains about these days. So I kind of didn’t have a real idea of how much rent has actually gone up. Judging from this map, the reality is that average rents are 50% higher than what either of us pay now, thanks to our old contracts in our respective neighborhoods. Jesus, I will never move again…
Nevertheless, Berlin still has the reputation of being a cheap city, even though evidence suggests otherwise for the most part. Do these cheap rents still exist somewhere in the city, perhaps in a small forgotten neighborhood that we just don’t know about? Well, let’s have a closer look at this map to find some answers, and possibly some cheap apartments, too…
As you can see, this rent map is pretty much a tale of tragedy. These numbers you see next to the subway stations are average new“Kaltmieten” in those neighborhoods for 70sqm 2-room-apartments (Americans would call this a one-bedroom apartment because for them the living room is a given). Kaltmiete is the pure rent without the utility costs (like electricity, gas, and internet) that will come on top of it (ranging from 120-250 EUR for a house like this). That means the actual rent is going to be probably 200 EUR more than the numbers you see. Keep in mind this is not the actual “Mietspiegel,” or average rental price, it’s what the average of what new flat rents cost.
The most expensive areas are – unsurprisingly – the more central areas in Mitte, as well as Grunewald and Dahlem. But also the hype areas like Kreuzberg and Neukölln have a couple of high-priced neighborhoods, such as Schlesisches Tor and Südstern. What I also find noteworthy is that Neukölln, which is considered to be a cheap neighborhood, is not even that much cheaper than, say, Prenzlauer Berg, which is considered expensive. In any case, most of these new rent deals are very likely illegally high because they break the “Mietpreisbremse” laws.
Read also: How to Fight Off Excessively High Rents
But now to the really important question: Are there still cheap rents in Berlin? Yes! But only if you’re willing to go further East. Hellersdorf and Mahlsdorf have the lowest rents in the city. This area is half of what you pay in Xberg and almost a third of the expensive areas in Mitte. Well, the famous “Plattenbau” style is having a total comeback on Instagram these days, so maybe this is the new place to be?
Diesen Artikel auf deutsch lesen.
by Frank
on January 6th, 2016
updated on April 22nd, 2019
in Stories
Same here, I will probably never move again. Ever. Should I have kids one day, they will need to stay in their own little apartment and I will come visit.
this is totally wrong
a flat in berlin ” kalt ” around Warschauer , Schlessisches .. is 14 to 15 € per square meter
so a 70 square meter would be around 1000 € + 150 to 200 € for nebenkosten ( water , heat …)
Feels like this prices are outdated, for what people tells me it is more expensive.
Any idea of that location on the photo?
Thanks.
thats the highdeck colony in neukoelln
^yeah, what’s the source of the image? Location?
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Deck-Siedlung
I got a feeling those prices are not up to date…
Hi guys, this all sounds great. I would totally go live there but I didn’t seem to find those prices or places .. Any suggestions anyone I am looking for a cheap but decent apt in Berlin. And those prices would be a total dream… And also what are the neighborhoods like good bad or ugly :-)?!
This article is also a good guide for those thinking in moving to Berlin: http://needleberlin.com/moving-to-berlin-the-needle-guide-2012-edition/ 🙂
These prices all feel low to me, I’ve been helping a friend find a new flat here and based on the listings at the moment could add a third onto all of these prices for the cold rent… crazy!
Absolute nonsense article.
I’m in Berlin NOW looking for apartments and the price COLD are way higher than this for 70m2 apartments.
Berlin prices have gone out of control. Clearly attempts to cap the rent have utterly failed, what a pity.
How long before Berlin changes forever? There ought to be more public protesting about this, greed is running riot.
I would say, those prices are for 1 Zimmerwohung, that means, only 1 room, toilet, kitchen,(no livingroom).
This map is not up to date at all any more! Because today those prices are what you pay per person and not for a whole flat….
The problem is this map is regarding the average, including the low rents people are paying on those 10+ year old contracts. A quick search on immobilien scout will show that the average for apartments coming onto the market is a lot higher.
If you’re interested in up-to-date rent averages and medians, per Berliner district, check out http://www.rentindicator.com.
Statistics are updated weekly.