Economy, jobs and prices in Berlin, Germany: official figures
Berlin's unemployment rate was 9.1% in 2023, 6th highest of 22 large German cities and 23rd highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 7.8%.
How high is youth unemployment in Berlin?
Berlin's unemployment rate among under-25s was 8.7% in 2023, 5th highest of 22 large German cities and 30th highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 8.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many long-term unemployed are there in Berlin?
Berlin's share of jobless people unemployed for a year or longer was 30.7% in 2023, 6th lowest of 22 large German cities and 181st lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 25.0%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 7th lowest median monthly gross wage of full-time employees in 2023, at €3,982 (median of all 400 districts: €3,604). In 2019 it was €3,383.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the gender pay gap in Berlin?
Berlin's median full-time wage of women as a share of men's was 97.2% in 2023, 2nd highest of 22 large German cities and 53rd highest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was 96.8%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the purchasing power in Berlin?
Berlin's purchasing power per resident was €27,823 in 2023, 4th lowest of 22 large German cities and 87th lowest of 400 districts nationwide. In 2019 it was €22,015.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many mini-jobs are there in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the lowest share of private-sector jobs that are low-paid 'mini-jobs' in 2023, at 11.8% (median of all 400 districts: 19.7%). In 2019 it was 12.5%.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many people commute to Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 5th lowest commuter balance (net commuters per 100 jobs) in 2023, at +10.7 (median of all 400 districts: -11.7). In 2019 it was +9.6.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyHow many businesses go bankrupt in Berlin?
Among 22 large German cities, Berlin had the 2nd highest number of company insolvency applications per 1,000 businesses in 2023, at 8.5 (median of all 400 districts: 3.9). In 2019 it was 7.0.
Source: Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Berlin?
The unemployment rate in Berlin was 6.9% in 2024 (6.7% for women, 7.1% for men).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat are the main jobs in Berlin?
2,081,000 jobs were based in Berlin in 2024; the biggest employers were public administration, education and health (25% of jobs) and trade, transport, hotels and restaurants (19%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people commute to Berlin?
321,219 people commuted into Berlin for work in 2018 and 185,723 commuted out.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Berlin?
Tourist accommodation in Berlin recorded 12,278,460 nights in 2020, 30% by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow do people get to work in Berlin?
In 2016, 42% of journeys to work in Berlin were by public transport, 38% by car, 13% by bicycle and 6% on foot.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Berlin?
There were 283 registered cars per 1,000 residents in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 80% of people in Berlin were satisfied with public transport (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
- 48% of people in Berlin agreed that it is easy to find a good job in the city (EU quality of life in European cities survey, 2023). Source: Eurostat · saved copy
How Berlin compares with other cities in Germany
Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 6 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Anteil der Arbeitslosen an den zivilen Erwerbspersonen in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate (% of civilian labour force) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Essen | 10.6% |
| 4 | Bremen | 10.0% |
| 5 | Wuppertal | 9.5% |
| 6 | Berlin | 9.1% |
| 7 | Köln | 8.7% |
| 8 | Bochum | 8.6% |
| 9 | Bielefeld | 8.2% |
Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 16 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Medianeinkommen der sozialversicherungspflichtig Vollzeitbeschäftigten in Euro; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Median monthly gross wage, full-time employees (€) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Bremen | €4,031 |
| 14 | Münster | €4,007 |
| 15 | Duisburg | €3,982 |
| 16 | Berlin | €3,982 |
| 17 | Bielefeld | €3,885 |
| 18 | Dortmund | €3,858 |
| 19 | Wuppertal | €3,851 |
Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 19 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: Kaufkraft je Einwohner in Euro; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Purchasing power per resident (€ a year) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Leipzig | €28,503 |
| 17 | Bremen | €28,361 |
| 18 | Dortmund | €28,131 |
| 19 | Berlin | €27,823 |
| 20 | Mannheim | €27,660 |
| 21 | Dresden | €27,262 |
| 22 | Duisburg | €26,129 |
Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) – large cities (2023)
Berlin ranks 13 of 22, highest first. INKAR indicator: SV Beschäftigte am Wohnort je 100 Einwohner im erwerbsfähigen Alter in %; kreisfreie Städte with city pages
| Rank | City | Residents in insured jobs (% of working-age population) – large cities |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Köln | 63.1% |
| 11 | Mannheim | 62.8% |
| 12 | Bielefeld | 62.2% |
| 13 | Berlin | 61.2% |
| 14 | Münster | 60.4% |
| 15 | Bochum | 60.2% |
| 16 | Karlsruhe | 60.1% |
Journeys to work by public transport (2016)
Berlin ranks 2 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Journeys to work by public transport |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | München | 44.0% |
| 2 | Berlin | 42.4% |
| 3 | Hamburg | 40.4% |
| 4 | Frankfurt am Main | 39.2% |
| 5 | Stuttgart | 37.7% |
| 6 | Offenbach am Main | 33.8% |
| 7 | Hannover | 31.9% |
Cars per 1,000 residents (2023)
Berlin ranks 77 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Cars per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Hamburg | 341 |
| 72 | Hannover | 335 |
| 73 | Leipzig | 332 |
| 74 | Freiburg im Breisgau | 331 |
| 75 | Frankfurt am Main | 318 |
| 76 | Heidelberg | 308 |
| 77 | Berlin | 283 |
Tourist nights (2020)
Berlin ranks 1 of 77, highest first.
| Rank | City | Tourist nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berlin | 12,278,460 |
| 2 | München | 7,034,040 |
| 3 | Hamburg | 6,796,976 |
| 4 | Frankfurt am Main | 4,085,447 |
| 5 | Dresden | 2,612,918 |
| 6 | Köln | 2,557,212 |
| 7 | Leipzig | 1,959,147 |
More on Berlin: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Germany
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctour: Urban Audit: culture and tourism (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 235d13e6125c…)
- Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR) im Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung: INKAR – Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung: 43 district (Kreise) indicators, 2012-2024 (table service extract), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c743f54caf6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clma: Urban Audit: labour market (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 be050965f9c6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_percep: Quality of life in European cities survey 2023: perception (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81bd3e277f3e…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctran: Urban Audit: transport (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e74aa07496…)
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