Apartments in Germany are scarce and expensive. As a result, asking rents for existing properties rose by four percent in the most economically powerful cities in the first half of 2025 alone, by three percent in medium-sized cities, and by five percent in large cities compared to the end of 2024. Life is cheaper outside the cities.
Cities offer the most jobs, but far too few apartments. A common solution is to commute. In Germany, around 60 percent of employees commute to work. As of June 30, 2024, around 21 million employees worked in a municipality other than the one in which they lived – around 110,000 more than in the previous year. This is according to an evaluation by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR).
Almost seven million employees commute from outside to one of the 80 major cities – around 80,000 more than in the previous year. Munich remains the most important destination for commuters: 458,400 of those employed there live outside the city limits. Frankfurt am Main follows with 415,600, Berlin with 398,900, Hamburg with 396,300, and Cologne with 317,000 commuters. Cologne recorded the largest increase compared to the previous year with 11,200, followed by Frankfurt am Main with 10,800, Berlin with 7,700, and Düsseldorf with 4,900.
The average one-way commute is 17.2 kilometers. 7.23 million commuters travel more than 30 kilometers to work, 4.05 million travel more than 50 kilometers, and 2.36 million travel more than 100 kilometers.
To reduce the burden of commuting, investment is needed in public transport, safe cycle paths and fast cycle routes, as well as more home office and co-working options.
Whether commuting is worthwhile is also a question of lifestyle. Those who value a beautiful home that meets their needs in terms of size, layout, and amenities and is affordable may be more willing to accept the greater expense of time and money involved in commuting than those who value urban culture above all else.
Photo: © Wal_172619, Pixabay
