Overview

• Berlin faces a critical housing shortage, with new rental apartments largely unaffordable for both average and low-income residents.
• Average-income households can afford only 27.8% of new rental listings, while low-income households can afford just 4.8%.
• Existing rental apartments remain more affordable, highlighting a stark disparity between new and existing rental markets.
• Vulnerable groups, including students, women affected by violence, and those needing barrier-free housing, are disproportionately impacted, with a deficit of 57,000 barrier-reduced apartments identified.
• The affordability metric is based on a 27% income threshold, with the median household net income in 2023 calculated at €2,575 per month.