Home · Buying for expats · Price comparison Berlin and Geneva

Price comparison

Berlin instead of Geneva: only 37 percent of the price.

According to Numbeo, a square metre of a flat in central Geneva costs around 22,837 US dollars, in Berlin around 8,475. In Geneva you pay 2.7 times as much.

Register your buying wish

Geneva: Rade de Genève with the Jet d'eau. Photo: Thibaut120094, CC BY 4.0, cropped

As featured in

  • Immobilien Zeitung
  • THOMAS DAILY
  • Konii
  • immobilienmanager
  • finanzwelt
  • Der Tagesspiegel
  • Handelsblatt
  • FOCUS

Overall rating and number of reviews from our Google profile, as of 28/09/2026. We do not check whether the reviewers actually used our services, and we give no consideration in return for reviews. Notes on reviews

In brief

Buying a flat in Berlin or Geneva: the price difference

Buying 80 square metres in Geneva costs around 1,826,960 US dollars according to Numbeo. In Berlin the same space costs around 678,000 US dollars. With the budget for 80 square metres in Geneva you get around 216 square metres in Berlin. Berlin adds around 11 to 11.6 percent in buying costs, including 6.0 percent real estate transfer tax. Foreigners may buy in Germany without a German residence.

Per square metre you pay around 14,362 US dollars more in Geneva than in Berlin, a premium of 169 percent. For the same amount, Berlin offers considerably more living space.

80m²
Purchase price for your living space, flat in the city centre, in US dollars
CityUSD per m²USD total
Geneva22,8371,826,960
Berlin8,475678,000
Difference1,148,960

Source: Numbeo, price per square metre for a flat in the city centre in US dollars, retrieved on 03/11/2026. Numbeo figures are based on user submissions, they are not an official statistic and show the order of magnitude, not the price of an individual flat. In central Berlin prices are above the city average. The buying costs come from the BBI guide to buying costs in Berlin. This page is not investment, legal or tax advice.

Examples

Purchase prices for typical flat sizes

Purchase price by living space, flat in the city centre, in US dollars
Living spaceGenevaBerlinDifference
40 m²913,480339,000574,480
60 m²1,370,220508,500861,720
80 m²1,826,960678,0001,148,960
100 m²2,283,700847,5001,436,200
120 m²2,740,4401,017,0001,723,440

Your budget

What your budget buys in Berlin

This is how much living space you get in Berlin for the price of a flat in Geneva:

60

60 square metres in Geneva equal about 162 square metres in Berlin.

80

80 square metres in Geneva equal about 216 square metres in Berlin.

100

100 square metres in Geneva equal about 269 square metres in Berlin.

Including buying costs

Even with buying costs, Berlin stays cheaper.

For 80 square metres, Berlin adds around 74,580 to 78,648 US dollars in buying costs, around 752,580 to 756,648 US dollars in total. That is less than the bare purchase price in Geneva of around 1,826,960 US dollars, before the buying costs there. Check locally how high they are.

All items of the buying costs in Berlin

Frequently asked questions

Berlin or Geneva: frequently asked questions.

Answers as of 3 November 2026

Is a flat in Berlin cheaper than in Geneva?

Yes. According to Numbeo, a square metre of a flat in the centre costs around 8,475 US dollars in Berlin and around 22,837 in Geneva. Berlin is therefore at 37 percent of the price of Geneva.

How much living space do I get in Berlin for my Geneva budget?

For the price of 80 square metres in Geneva (around 1,826,960 US dollars) you can buy around 216 square metres in Berlin.

What buying costs apply in Berlin?

With an agent, around eleven to twelve per cent of the purchase price: 6.0 per cent real estate transfer tax, around 1.5 to 2.0 per cent for notary and land register and usually 3.57 per cent commission including VAT.

Can foreigners buy a flat in Berlin?

Yes. Nationality and place of residence do not matter for the purchase. The hurdles are in the financing, not in the purchase itself.

Keep comparing

Berlin compared with other cities

Talk to Phil Radtke.

A conversation in German or English before you book a single viewing.

Arrange a meeting