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WAY OF LIFE
TOPIC
URBAN QUALITY OF LIFE
Good jobs, a clean environment, low crime
Only 43 percent of households live in their
rates, lots of leisure-time and cultural at-
own four walls. The majority opt for rented
tractions, good transport links: German
accommodation, which has traditionally
cities frequently boast precisely these fea-
always been preferred. Almost 20 percent of
tures. In a 2015 study aimed at evaluating
people views the cost of living as a “heavy
the quality of life in 230 large cities conduct-
financial burden”. On average, such costs
ed by the Mercer consulting firm, seven Ger-
absorb 35 percent of monthly incomes. For
man cities place in the Top 30. With Munich
this reason the Federal Government has
(4th place), Düsseldorf (6) and Frankfurt am
paved the way for rent caps aimed at pre-
Main (7), three actually make the Top Ten.
serving social diversity in regions where
Berlin (14), Hamburg (16) and Stuttgart (21)
the housing market is under pressure. In
are also well up the list. In Germany there
the event of a change in tenant, new rents
are 76 large cities (more than 100,000 inhab-
are capped at a max. 10 percent higher than
itants) and 600 medium-sized cities with
for a comparable flat – but there are ex-
between 20,000 and 99,999 inhabitants; 74
ceptions. In Berlin 22 areas were given
percent of people now live in cities.
“environment protection”. All redevelopment
measures, meaning all demolition work, as
The demand for urban living space has led
well as all alterations and changes in use are
to a sharp rise in rents in the case of first-
checked and require approval, in order to pre-
time lets, and in the price of real estate.
vent refurbishment becoming synonymous
With regard to European home ownership
with gentrification. This way, so the hope,
rates, Germany comes second from last.
urban diversity will be preserved.
How Germans live
More than half of the people in Germany live
in rented accommodation, not in their own four
walls. 64.5 percent of all residential buildings
are single-family dwellings, only 5.9 percent are
larger structures with seven or more flats.
35 percent of flats and houses are 100 square
metres in size or bigger, only 5.5 percent of
flats are smaller than 40 square metres.
Consumer spending by private households in Germany
22 %
35 %
Other items
Accommodation,
energy, accommodation maintenance
4%
Clothing,
shoes
14 %
11 %
14 %
Leisure time,
entertainment, culture
Food, drink,
tobacco
Transportation
Source: Federal Statistical Office 2014
DIAGRAM