Student housing is becoming more and more expensive: rents are rising by 2.6 percent

Housing for students is becoming more and more expensive in Germany: rents for student housing rose by an average of 2.6 percent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This emerges from the 2026 student housing report from the financial service provider MLP and the German Economic Institute (IW).

Over three years, the increase in rents averaged 4.0 percent per year. Small apartments became the most expensive: prices for apartments under 40 square meters rose by 3.5 percent within a year, shared apartment rents increased by 2.3 percent, and furnished temporary apartments increased by 2.0 percent.

Munich is still the most expensive

According to the information, there are large differences in rental costs at the individual university locations. This was shown by examples using a student model apartment with 30 square meters and a hypothetical shared room with 20 square meters.

The model apartment in Munich is also the most expensive this year at around 880 euros per month, followed by Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne as well as Hamburg and Heidelberg at around 700 to 720 euros. The cheapest place to live is in Chemnitz, Saxony, at around 280 euros. According to the calculations, the range for the model shared room also ranges from around 850 euros in Munich to around 220 euros in Chemnitz.

BAföG flat rate only covers costs in Chemnitz

According to the information, the highest increases in the last three years were recorded in Hamburg and Saarbrücken, each with 5.8 percent, and Bochum with 5.5 percent per year. With the BAföG housing allowance of 380 euros, the rent for the student 30 square meter model apartment can only be completely covered in Chemnitz.