Investment property in Germany: what to buy and what it costs
A studio in a period building near the university in Halle
$81,000
A 35 m² studio with a kitchenette, a shower room and high ceilings in a renovated early 20th-century building in Giebichenstein, a green district of Halle by the river Saale. The university and the centre are 10 minutes away by tram, Leipzig half an hour by train. Such apartments are rented long-term by students and young professionals, and the entry price here is one of the lowest in the country.
A one-bedroom apartment with a balcony in the old centre of Erfurt
$130,000
A 50 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony over the courtyard in a building with a restored facade in the Andreasviertel, a quarter of Erfurt's old centre below the Petersberg citadel. The cathedral square and the station with trains to Berlin and Frankfurt are a 15-minute walk away. The apartment is rented long-term by public sector staff and couples.
A one-bedroom apartment in the Neustadt by the Elbe
$160,000
A 55 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom in a building with a lift in the Neustadt, a lively district of Dresden on the right bank of the Elbe with cafés, shops and trams to the old town. The Technical University and research institutes are 20 minutes away. Apartments here are rented long-term by engineers, researchers and senior students.
A one-bedroom apartment in Gostenhof next to the old town
$200,000
A 55 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room with an open kitchen and a balcony in a renovated building in Gostenhof, a district of Nuremberg just outside the old town walls. The metro, the station and the centre are 10 minutes away. Bavaria has the lowest transfer tax in the country, 3.5%, so the costs on top of the price are lower here than in Berlin or Frankfurt.
A two-bedroom family apartment in Findorff
$220,000
A 70 m² apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony in a brick building in Findorff, a quiet district of Bremen with a park, a market and schools nearby. The centre and the station are 10 minutes away by bike. Family apartments here are rented long-term and rarely stand empty.
A one-bedroom apartment in Bilk near the university
$270,000
A 60 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony in Bilk, a district of Düsseldorf between the university and the Rhine embankment. The metro, shops and the offices of the Media Harbour are nearby. The apartment is rented long-term by company staff and by employees of Japanese, Korean and Chinese firms, of which Düsseldorf has particularly many.
A one-bedroom apartment in a period building in Neukölln
$300,000
A 60 m² apartment with a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony over the courtyard in an early 20th-century building with high ceilings in northern Neukölln, a district of Berlin with a canal, markets and cafés. The metro is 5 minutes away, Kreuzberg and the centre 15 minutes. Berlin apartments are rented long-term, and vacant ones let quickly.
A two-bedroom family apartment in Bornheim
$440,000
A 75 m² apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony in Bornheim, a district of Frankfurt with a high street, a market and old houses. The banking district and the stock exchange are 15 minutes away by metro, the airport half an hour. Such apartments are rented long-term by the families of bank and international company staff.
What properties investors buy in Germany
Above are the most interesting offers selected by our experts. A manager will find a property for your requirements.
Apartments for sale in Berlin, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and the university cities of the east, prices by city, yields, taxes on buying and owning.
A foreigner buys an apartment in Germany with no permits or nationality restrictions: the deal is notarised, and the buyer becomes the owner on entry in the land register. A square metre on the resale market costs about $2,400 in Halle, $3,000 in Dresden, $5,000 in Berlin and $8,300 in Munich. A studio in Halle costs $81,000, a one-bedroom apartment in Berlin $300,000. Transfer tax and notary fees add 5-8% to the price, and an apartment owned for more than 10 years is sold free of tax on the gain.
This page covers apartments in Berlin, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, home to international companies, in Nuremberg and Bremen and in the university cities of the east - Dresden, Erfurt and Halle, where the entry price is lowest. It also covers prices by city, rental yields, taxes and deal timing. A manager will confirm what is for sale today and the exact price.
The market in brief
Prices and rules as of 2026.
How much an apartment costs in Germany in 2026
The gap between German cities is wider than between many countries. Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin, home to large companies and banks, are the most expensive, and the cities of former East Germany - Halle, Erfurt and Dresden - the most affordable, although they have universities, factories and research institutes. Bavaria has a lower transfer tax, so at the same price an apartment in Nuremberg costs less in total than one in Berlin. Before the deposit buyers check not only the price per square metre but also the owners' association documents: plans for building repairs and the size of the reserve fund.
| City | Per m² | 60 m² apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Munich | ~$8,300 | ~$500,000 |
| Frankfurt am Main | ~$5,900 | ~$350,000 |
| Hamburg | ~$5,700 | ~$340,000 |
| Berlin | ~$5,000 | ~$300,000 |
| Düsseldorf | ~$4,500 | ~$270,000 |
| Nuremberg | ~$3,600 | ~$220,000 |
| Bremen | ~$3,100 | ~$190,000 |
| Dresden | ~$3,000 | ~$180,000 |
| Erfurt | ~$2,500 | ~$150,000 |
| Halle | ~$2,400 | ~$140,000 |
Prices per square metre are averages from resale apartment deals; dollars at the rate of October 23, 2026, rounded up.
What yield renting out gives
The gross yield from long-term rent in Berlin is about 4.1% a year before tax. In Germany apartments are let long-term: leases are open-ended and the law protects the tenant, so a let apartment brings a stable income. Big cities restrict short-term tourist lets, so apartments are bought for long-term rent.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| Income from letting | income tax scale of 0-45% after interest, costs and depreciation of 2-3% a year; a non-resident gets no tax-free allowance |
| Gain on sale | tax-free if the apartment was owned for more than 10 years or the owner lived in it in the year of sale and the two previous years |
| Property tax | paid to the municipality every year, since 2025 on new valuations |
| Second home tax | charged in a number of cities, Berlin among them, when the owner uses the apartment as a second home instead of letting it |
Data for 2026: the yield is the Berlin average; countries are compared in the rental yield table.
Rent from an apartment in Germany is taxed in Germany even if the owner does not live there: a tax return is filed every year. Rates and examples are on the page taxes in Germany.
What costs to add to the property price
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Real estate transfer tax | 3.5-6.5% by federal state: 3.5% in Bavaria, 6% in Berlin |
| Notary and land register | about 1.5-2% under statutory tariffs |
| Agent | if engaged by both parties, the fee is split in half by law |
Data for 2026. Together that is 5-8% on top of the price. Since April 2023 property cannot be paid for in cash: the price is paid by bank transfer only, and the notary and the bank check the origin of the money. German banks do not accept deposits above 100,000 euros from Russian citizens without a European Union residence permit, so the money is transferred in parts or straight to the seller's account. A manager calculates the total for a specific property.
In Germany the land register and the building documents are checked before the deposit
Mistakes cost more than the tax: a building facing major repairs for which the owners' association will levy a large contribution, encumbrances in the land register, a tenant with an open-ended lease and statutory rights, limits on short-term letting, money the bank will not accept without proof of origin. Murblz support removes these risks: we find a property for the budget and goal, check the land register and the association documents, calculate taxes and costs and take the deal through the notary with an interpreter to the land register entry.
The cost of support depends on the purchase budget and the goal - investment, a home for yourself or for your children's studies; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Does buying give a residence permit
Buying a home in Germany does not give a residence permit, whatever the amount. Relocation is arranged through work, business, study or family: the European Union Blue Card and work visas for skilled workers, the opportunity card for job seekers and the freelancer visa for freelancers. An owned apartment does solve the housing needed for address registration. All the routes are on the page how to get residency in Germany.
The buyer becomes the owner without a residence permit and without travelling to the country: a representative signs the deal under a power of attorney, and a foreigner is assigned a tax number at the deal.
How we find a property
- Budget and goal: investment, a home for yourself or for your children's studies. The manager clarifies the city and how you will pay.
- A selection of real properties: apartments with the seller's price, floor area, monthly owners' association fees and a yield calculation.
- Checks before the deposit: land register extract, encumbrances, owners' meeting minutes, the reserve fund and building repair plans.
- A remote deal by power of attorney: the draft contract two weeks before signing, a notary with an interpreter, payment of the tax and price, entry in the land register.
The manager sends the selection to the chat, with sellers' prices on the date of the selection.
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More on buying in this country:
- Buying property in Germany: rules, taxes and the deal
- How to buy an apartment in Germany
- Germany residence permit: all routes
- Taxes in Germany
- Berlin: what to see and whether to move there
- Munich: what to see and whether to move there
- Germany: all programs
All countries and budgets compared - on the page Investment property abroad.
FAQ
How much does an apartment in Germany cost in 2026?
Can foreigners buy property in Germany?
Does buying property give a residence permit in Germany?
What yield does letting an apartment in Germany give?
What taxes apply when buying property in Germany?
Is the sale of an apartment in Germany taxed?
Which German city to buy an apartment in for investment?
Can you buy property in Germany remotely?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we shortlist properties for your goal, run legal checks and support the deal through to registration. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
Free consultationWhat happens next
- An expert reviews your situation and goal.
- We contact you the way you prefer and answer your questions.
- You get a work plan, honest timelines and a written quote.