Rent or buy in Berlin?
Compare what you would own after buying with what your own funds would grow to if you keep renting.
Rent without heating and service charges, for a comparable apartment.
Where are you buying?
More assumptions
Loan as a share of the purchase price. Your own funds cover the rest and the purchase costs. As a tenant, you would invest them instead.
Is an estate agent (Makler) involved?
Transfer tax is 6.0% in Berlin and 6.5% in Brandenburg. With an estate agent, the buyer usually pays 3.57% including VAT.
The filled value is an example assumption, not a current offer. Replace it if you have a quote.
Share of the loan you repay in the first year.
Repairs and the share of service charges a tenant would not pay.
Applied to the cold rent each year.
Applied to the purchase price each year.
What the own funds and every monthly difference earn.
Estate agent fee when you sell.
Two paths. Your future wealth.
Net wealth (€)
Buying comes out ahead.
More net wealth from buying after 10 years
€48,864
What could buying look like for you?
Your income, own funds and residence status decide what a bank will lend. Answer a few questions and I will review your situation personally.
Baki Sürmeli
MRICS, business graduate, real estate professional and managing director
How the calculator works
Each year the owner pays interest, repayment and upkeep. The tenant pays rent, which rises by the assumed rate. Whoever pays less in a year invests the difference at the assumed return. The apartment gains value at the assumed rate and is sold at the end, minus selling costs. Year zero in the chart shows the starting position.
Over 10 years, you repay €87,453 of your loan. This is already included in the buying line, not added a second time. Purchase costs of €32,000 are paid at the start.
Growth and returns are assumptions, not forecasts. Actual financing terms, taxes and early repayment compensation may change the outcome. The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere unless you send an inquiry.
Calculation details
Owner: sale price after selling costs, minus the remaining loan, plus money invested. Tenant: own funds plus every monthly difference, invested at the assumed return.
Year by year
| Year | Owner, after selling | Tenant | Remaining loan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €44,492 | €85,056 | €352,800 |
| 2 | €63,916 | €98,036 | €345,294 |
| 3 | €84,018 | €110,923 | €337,469 |
| 4 | €104,820 | €123,700 | €329,311 |
| 5 | €126,348 | €136,349 | €320,807 |
| 6 | €148,628 | €148,851 | €311,941 |
| 7 | €171,688 | €161,185 | €302,699 |
| 8 | €195,555 | €173,331 | €293,064 |
| 9 | €220,258 | €185,265 | €283,019 |
| 10 | €245,828 | €196,964 | €272,547 |
How to read the result
You are not comparing a home with a pile of rent receipts. You are comparing two ways to build wealth. The owner reduces the loan and may gain from the property's value. The tenant keeps the own funds invested and adds the monthly difference. Small changes in the price, interest rate or time in the home can reverse the result.
What moves the result most
- How long you stay. Purchase costs of 8.0% to 12.07% of the price have to be earned back first.
- Price compared with rent. The higher the price for the same rent, the later buying pays off.
- Interest rate. Each percentage point changes the interest you pay every year.
- Value and rent growth. Small differences add up over ten or more years.
If you leave Berlin earlier than planned
You can sell or rent out the apartment. Three points matter:
- Fixed interest period. If you sell during the fixed period, the bank can charge early repayment compensation (Vorfälligkeitsentschädigung). Ten years after the loan was paid out, you can repay with six months' notice without compensation (§ 489 BGB).
- Tax on the gain. If you sell within ten years of buying, the gain is tax-free only if you lived in the apartment yourself the whole time, or in the year of sale and the two calendar years before. Otherwise it is taxed as income (§ 23 EStG). Ask a tax advisor about your case.
- Renting out. Tell your bank before you let the apartment. Some loans for owner-occupiers have conditions for letting.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to rent or buy in Berlin?
It depends on how long you stay and on the price compared with the rent. Over a short stay, purchase costs usually tip the balance toward renting. Use your own numbers above.
How long do I need to stay for buying to pay off?
Often several years, because purchase costs of 8.0% to 12.07% of the price have to be earned back first. The calculator shows the year for your numbers.
What happens if I have to leave Germany?
You can sell or rent out the apartment. During the fixed interest period, selling can cost early repayment compensation. See the section above.
Are purchase costs included?
Yes. Transfer tax, notary, land registry and, if you choose, the estate agent fee are part of the owner's costs.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is a model calculation with the assumptions shown. For a decision, have your situation checked.
Non-binding estimate. Not a financing commitment and not advice under § 34i GewO. Assumptions as of 8 October 2026.