The Leipzig rental housing market continued to see high demand in 2025, alongside rising asking rents. This is according to the Market Report Rent 2026, which was produced by PISA Immobilienmanagement in collaboration with the Duale Hochschule Sachsen and the Institute for Real Estate Studies. In addition to asking rental prices, the analysis also considers marketing periods and socio-demographic data to provide comprehensive insights into developments up to 2025.
In 2025, the median asking rent in Leipzig for first occupancy reached 13.95 Euros per square metre, and for existing properties, 9.88 Euros per square metre. This represents an increase of 7.3 percent for first occupancy and 2.2 percent for existing properties compared to the previous year, 2024. Since 2015, asking rents for existing properties have risen by approximately 70 percent, and for first occupancy, by almost 97 percent. Nevertheless, Leipzig remains moderate with a median asking rent of 10.55 Euros per square metre compared to other major German cities, such as Munich with 25.21 Euros per square metre.
Rent Burden and Income Development
Despite rising rents, the average rent burden ratio for households in Leipzig has remained stable at around 30 percent. Timo Pinder, Managing Director of PISA Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG, attributes this to income development: net household incomes in Leipzig rose by approximately 40 percent from 2015 to 2024, while actual paid rents for existing properties increased by 35.5 percent according to surveys by the City of Leipzig. Income and paid rents have developed similarly on average, which explains the stability of the rent burden ratio.
However, these average values conceal social disparities. For the 20 percent of households with the lowest incomes, the rent burden ratio is already over 40 percent. Professor Dr. Kerry Brauer from the Institute for Real Estate Studies points out that the central problem does not lie in the overall market, but in the provision of housing for low-income households. Targeted housing policy measures and social housing construction are necessary here.
Heterogeneity of the Leipzig Market and Methodological Aspects
Leipzig does not show a uniform rent development. Sub-markets differ significantly by location, building structure and demand. While the median asking rent for first occupancy in the Süd district slightly decreased from 14.56 Euros per square metre in 2024 to 13.99 Euros in 2025, other districts saw further increases. The range of asking rents for existing properties varied from 11.90 Euros in the Mitte district to 7.91 Euros in the West district. Demand for more affordable housing remains tight, which is evident from the decreasing average marketing period. In the West district, this reduced from 119 days in 2015 to under 20 days for existing flats. In the high-price segment, however, there are limits to willingness to pay; in areas such as the Waldstraßenviertel, the marketing period, despite a decrease, is above the city average.
- —The market regulates itself through willingness to pay and demand, especially for very high rents, where the number of solvent households is limited.
- —Methodologically, it is important that the existing rents reported in the market report describe asking rents for new builds upon re-letting and do not reflect the development of ongoing rental agreements.
- —A statistical increase in the median of existing rents can also occur through the re-letting of formerly new homes, without existing tenancies becoming more expensive.
The size of dwellings also shows a shift: the average living area of newly offered first-occupancy dwellings decreased from 85.5 square metres in 2018 to 67.4 square metres in 2025. The report also highlights Leipzig's close ties with its surrounding area. Since 2014, Leipzig has recorded a negative migration balance with its surrounding area, ranging from 2,500 to almost 5,000 people annually. Pinder predicts a moderate further rent increase and emphasises the importance of additional housing completions as a crucial factor for a long-term stable balance of supply and demand.
