Berlin is a renter’s city: most households rent, and the rules protecting tenants shape what an apartment is worth to a buyer. Prices per square metre are well below Paris, London and Amsterdam, but German purchase costs are among the highest of the cities Poyzo tracks. This page explains the headline figure, what you pay on top of it and the rules that matter once you own.
What the headline figure means
Poyzo’s working figure for Berlin is about €6,100 per m², a rounded average for owner-occupied apartments. New-build apartments in central districts are priced well above it, while older stock in outer districts can be considerably cheaper. Many existing apartments are sold with a sitting tenant, which typically lowers the price because the buyer cannot easily move in or raise the rent.
Costs on top of the price
| Item | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) | 6.0% | Berlin’s rate since 2014. Rates differ between German states. |
| Notary and land registry | About 1.5% | Fees follow a statutory schedule; a rule of thumb rather than a fixed rate. |
| Agent commission, buyer’s share | Up to about 3.57% incl. VAT | Since late 2020, commission on apartments and houses is normally split equally between buyer and seller. |
| Typical total | About 10% to 11% | Lower when no agent is involved. |
Rules that affect owners
- No restrictions on foreign buyers. Non-residents can buy and register property in Germany.
- Rent controls. Berlin applies the rent brake (Mietpreisbremse) on new leases, and increases on existing leases are capped. Rental yields on existing apartments are therefore modest.
- Conversion limits. In many districts, converting rental buildings into individually owned apartments requires approval, which limits new supply of owner-occupied flats.
- Tax on resale. For private individuals, a gain on a property held for more than ten years, or lived in by the owner, is generally not taxed in Germany.
Running costs after you buy
- Property tax (Grundsteuer) is levied annually; a nationwide reform changed how it is assessed from 2025.
- Service charges (Hausgeld) cover building management, maintenance and a reserve fund. Part can be passed on to a tenant, part cannot.
- Reserve fund status matters: an underfunded building may require special levies for roofs, facades or heating systems.
Worked example: what €400,000 buys
At €6,100 per m², €400,000 corresponds to roughly 66 m² at the city average: a two- to three-room apartment. Add about €40,000 to €44,000 for transfer tax, notary, land registry and an agent’s commission. Because the purchase costs are high, a buyer who sells within a few years usually loses money even if prices are flat.
Sources: Berlin Senate Department for Finance (Grunderwerbsteuer), German Civil Code on brokerage commissions, Berlin rent brake regulations, Gutachterausschuss Berlin market reports. Figures checked October 2026.
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- Compare your budget across all eight cities
Information only. This page explains how buying costs and rules are structured. It is not financial, tax, legal or immigration advice and it is not a recommendation to buy any property. Rates and rules change; confirm anything that affects a decision with the relevant authority or a qualified local professional.
Last updated: October 14, 2026