Apartments in Germany listed for just 23 days before being rented, on average

The situation on the German rental market remains tight. According to a new study, each newly-listed apartment is rented after just 23 days, on average. 

One in four apartments in Berlin rented within two days

Rents might be high in Germany, but that isn’t dampening demand. According to a new study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), the average listing period - the time for which an apartment is listed for rent - has fallen by more than 10 days over the past 10 years, SPIEGEL reports. 

The study found that the current listing period is an average of 23 days. However, according to the analysis, that average conceals just how tight the situation is in some German cities. More than one in six apartments in Germany is let within just two days; in Berlin, one in four apartments have the rental contract signed within two days. 

“This shows that the demand for housing is very high,” IfW real estate expert Jonas Zdrzalek said in a press release. “Especially in major cities, it will likely be difficult for those seeking housing to find suitable accommodation.” He added that the current level of demand made it unlikely that policies currently in place would be successful in significantly reducing prices on the market. 

Rents rose in second quarter of 2025, but only just

The study found that rents rose in the second quarter of 2025, but only slightly - by 0,7 percent compared with the first three months of the year. Adjusted for inflation - taking into account rising prices and rising average incomes - rents actually fell by 0,2 percent. This is a much more moderate development than in the same period in 2024, when rents rose by 3,4 percent (or 1,7 percent, adjusted for inflation). 

The data shows that rents have risen most sharply year-on-year in Düsseldorf (+1,5 percent) and Hamburg (+1,3 percent). Munich remains the most expensive place to rent in Germany, with the average rent per square metre currently standing at 22,82 euros. The cheapest of the major cities is Leipzig, with an average rent per square metre of 10,10 euros.