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Price comparison

Berlin instead of Zurich: only 31 per cent of the price.

According to Numbeo, a square metre of a flat in the centre of Zurich costs around 27,615 US dollars, in Berlin around 8,683. In Zurich you pay 3.2 times as much.

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In brief

Buying a flat in Berlin or Zurich: the price difference

Anyone buying 80 square metres in Zurich pays around 2,209,200 US dollars according to Numbeo. The same floor area in Berlin costs around 694,640 US dollars. With the budget for 80 square metres in Zurich, you get around 254 square metres in Berlin. On top come around 11 to 11.6 per cent in buying costs in Berlin, including 6.0 per cent real estate transfer tax. Foreigners may buy in Germany even without residence.

Per square metre you pay around 18,932 US dollars more in Zurich than in Berlin, a premium of 218 per cent. 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
Zurich27,6152,209,200
Berlin8,683694,640
Difference1,514,560

Source: Numbeo, price per square metre for a flat in the city centre in US dollars, retrieved on 18/10/2026. 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 spaceZurichBerlinDifference
40 m²1,104,600347,320757,280
60 m²1,656,900520,9801,135,920
80 m²2,209,200694,6401,514,560
100 m²2,761,500868,3001,893,200
120 m²3,313,8001,041,9602,271,840

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 Zurich:

60

60 square metres in Zurich correspond to about 191 square metres in Berlin.

80

80 square metres in Zurich correspond to about 254 square metres in Berlin.

100

100 square metres in Zurich correspond to about 318 square metres in Berlin.

Including buying costs

Even with buying costs, Berlin stays cheaper.

For 80 square metres, buying costs in Berlin add around 76,410 to 80,578 US dollars, so around 771,050 to 775,218 US dollars in total. That is less than the bare purchase price in Zurich of around 2,209,200 US dollars, to which the buying costs there still have to be added. You clarify how high they are locally.

All items of the buying costs in Berlin

Frequently asked questions

Berlin or Zurich: frequently asked questions.

Answers as of: 18 October 2026

Is a flat in Berlin cheaper than in Zurich?

Yes. According to Numbeo, a square metre of a flat in the centre costs around 8,683 US dollars in Berlin and around 27,615 in Zurich. Berlin is therefore at 31 per cent of the price in Zurich.

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

With the price of 80 square metres in Zurich (around 2,209,200 US dollars) you buy around 254 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

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