Overview

• The 2025 Student Housing Report finds about 66% of students now spend more than 30% of their net income on rent, with average student rents rising 4.6% per year over the past three years.
• The €380 BAföG housing allowance fails to cover a modeled 30‑square‑meter apartment in Baden‑Württemberg and falls short across most locations, with experts calling for greater support.
• Regional gaps are stark: a 30‑square‑meter unit costs around €837 in Munich and €734 in Frankfurt versus roughly €374 in Magdeburg and €296 in Chemnitz, while WG rooms in Konstanz and Hamburg can exceed small‑apartment costs.
• Berlin‑Brandenburg’s housing association reports vacancy in the capital’s hinterland at 1.8% and says investment is shifting from new builds to maintenance, warning of further declines in construction without clearer federal support.
• Local strain is acute in places like Freising, where rents commonly start near €600, dorm waitlists can stretch to five semesters, and international students risk visa complications without a lease.