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Comment by nkmnz | Hacker News Reader

For everyone not familiar with German rental markets: Berlin is quite cheap compared to other big and small cities. From cities as big as Munich to smaller ones like Mainz, most cities are more expensive (except for those in the former GDR). Cheap(er) rents are part of the reason why people move to Berlin - the more the Senate does to control rent, the more people will want to move to Berlin. The only way is to increase supply - or rebuild the wall ;-)

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It's gotten way closer than even 5 years ago. I 'overpay' as an ex-pat in Berlin but my rent is within 10% of the average Munich rent (unless it's risen there recently as well) for a comparable place.

Interesting. I guess it’s a more high end rental? I don’t know the High end markets in both places that well, but I know it’s much more expensive for students and others with low income to live in Munich (which has risen recently, indeed) than it is in Berlin. But the gap might be closing nevertheless.

It wouldn't have to be. Finding a flat is extremely competitive in Berlin, so it's not uncommon for agencies and unscrupulous landlords to take advantage of "Auslanders" who might not be aware of rent control laws.

When the rents were temporarily lowered to the "fair rate" during corona, and everyone could see what they should be paying, this was eye-opening for a lot of my friends.

What do you mean by "fair rate during corona"? The local government broke the federal constitution by limiting rents in a way it has no jurisdiction for. We should be very happy that our constitutional court prevented further unlawful behaviour.

They problably mean the repeal of the Mietendeckel

Real estate and flat purchase prices have been rising faster in Berlin than anywhere else in the world over the last five or so years. The rental market is also rising, there's a growing startup sector and lots of international immigration. There is a housing crisis in central Berlin within the ringbahn where demand far far outreaches supply. Going to a Berlin flat viewing is an exercise is intense competition. Rental prices are rising accordingly.

> most cities are more expensive (except for those in the former GDR).

So, Berlin is much more expensive than other cities in former GDR?

Yes, but it's much cheaper than West-German cities.

But Berlin is in east Germany.

Or run the city into the ground, make it unattractive enough to repel the people who want to move there. That approach may even work out - Socialism succeeded doing that before already.

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