The 8 best neighborhoods to live in Berlin

Explore Berlin's neighborhoods based on their quality of life, internationality, safety and rental prices. Find your dream location in Berlin!

Bryony

8 minute read

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Updated on 17 Sep 2024

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Living

If you’re considering starting your search for Berlin homes for rent, getting to know Berlin’s neighborhoods first is crucial. Berlin has a diverse range of neighborhoods to suit everyone who moves there. To help you decide which neighborhood is for you, we’re going to share all about the 8 best neighborhoods in Berlin based on their quality of life, internationality, safety, and rental prices.

Mitte is the historic center of Berlin, made up of both East and West districts. Mitte is home to many historical sites, contemporary art, and the Humboldt University. Mitte is also central to Berlin's startup scene and home to Silicon Allee, an area with offices for big brands like Volkswagen and Microsoft. As a result, you’ll find a mixture of students, young professionals, and art/history fanatics. Keep in mind that Mitte can get quite busy with tourists who enjoy the galleries and museums of the neighborhood.

Due to its central location in Berlin, Mitte has plenty of transport options nearby to help you get around. However, you’ll also see plenty of people getting around on bikes here.

Mitte is one of the most international neighborhoods in Berlin due to its proximity to international universities like Humboldt and international companies like Microsoft. There’s an excellent mixture of international students and professionals living here. Internationals also appreciate how safe it is to live in Mitte. While there’re some tourist-related crimes, such as pickpocketing, Mitte is a very safe neighborhood to live in Berlin.

Mitte is one of the pricier neighborhoods in Berlin, though. On average, you should expect to spend on your monthly rent:

• Room: €780
• Studio: €1,350
• Apartment: €1,700

Offering a more quirky, alternative lifestyle, Neukölln is a popular neighborhood in Berlin for young students and professionals. With plenty of vegan restaurants, vintage shops, and markets, it’s a trendy spot to live in Berlin. There’re plenty of art galleries and community spaces here, which attract creatives to this neighborhood. Neukölln is also a popular neighborhood for the LGBTQI+ community as it’s home to Schwuz and The Silver Future, popular spots to enjoy the queer scene of Berlin’s nightlife.

The U-bahn services Neukölln well, and the area has multiple stops. However, this is a pretty big neighborhood, so buying a bike is a good idea if you plan to live here.

Neukölln is home to plenty of internationals and has a large Turkish and Arabic community. You’ll see the Turkish and Arabic influence in the variety of restaurants in Neukölln. You’ll find plenty of like-minded people living here as an expat, and enjoy a close community vibe. While Neukölln has a reputation for being a less safe neighborhood in Berlin, it’s a huge neighborhood, and it’s easy to avoid the noisier streets like Karl-Marx-Allee and Sonnenallee. Most of Neukölln is safe to live in.

Neukölln has a vast range of properties available for rent across the neighborhood, and the average rental price will vary from street to street. Generally speaking, the average rent you can expect to pay per month is:

• Room: €700
• Studio: €1,000
• Apartment: €1,500

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg offers a healthy mix of work, school, and partying. There’s a large student population living in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg who flock to the Kollwitzplatz to enjoy the best of Berlin’s nightlife scene. There’re also plenty of incredible restaurants, bars, and cafés spread across Friedrichshain. In the center of this neighborhood is Warschauer Straße, a street that’s home to major learning institutions like the Macromedia University of Media and Communication and the Hertie School of Governance. You’ve also got the beautiful Viktoriapark close by to enjoy a green oasis and waterfall close to the heart of Berlin.

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is well-serviced by Berlin’s excellent public transport system. The S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams, and buses all have stops dotted across the neighborhood.

Kreuzberg, in particular, is known for its cultural diversity, large Turkish community and market. Friedrichshain has one of the youngest populations in Berlin, with plenty of internationals living here. Overall, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg is a pretty safe area to live in, but with such an active nightlife scene, it’s best to avoid being alone at night. Some of the areas to avoid in Berlin are found here, such as Görlitzer Park and Kottbusser Tor. If you avoid these parts you’ll be perfectly safe living here.

With Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg becoming an increasingly popular area over the past few years, rental prices have increased slightly. Your monthly rent in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg will cost:

• Room: €800
• Studio: €1,500
• Apartment: €1,800

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is one of the upper-market neighborhoods to live in Berlin. Charlottenburg has plenty of retail work opportunities with big names like Apple, Gucci and Chanel. There’re many beautiful parks in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, and it’s also home to the British School, making it ideal for expat families. Entertainment is abundant in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, which has plenty of theatres, cabarets, and performance art options. Universities like the Technical University, The Universität der Künste, and the ESCP business school all have campuses in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.

The U-Bahn has plenty of lines that service Charlottenburg—Wilmersdorf, so you’ll have no issue getting around Berlin from here.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is a particularly popular place for English-speaking expats and families to live in Berlin. It’s also quite a touristy spot due to the retail options available in Charlottenburg. You’ll find this neighborhood to be quite international but perhaps not have as much diversity in restaurant and grocery options as other neighborhoods like Kreuzberg. In terms of safety, Charlottenburg can be a hotspot for pickpocketers and shoplifters drawn to the high-end shops in the area. Beyond such petty crimes, Charlottenberg-Wilmersdorf is a safe neighborhood for you to live in, especially if you have a family.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is one of the pricier neighborhoods in Berlin, but it’s not as pricey as you might think for an upper-market neighborhood. Your monthly rent in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf will cost about:

• Room: €800
• Studio: €1,400
• Apartment: €1,800

Pankow is a residential neighborhood in Berlin, particularly popular amongst young families and professionals. A lot of creative minds will opt to live in Pankow as studio spaces are very affordable here compared to other European capital cities. Many co-working spaces in Pankow attract freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers. This neighborhood is an ideal place to live if you want to enjoy Berlin’s nightlife without being at the heart of the noise and bustle. Relaxed restaurants, breweries, and cafes provide a great place to catch up with friends, and you’ll be relatively close to the center of Berlin if you feel like hitting the clubs. Families appreciate the variety and quality of schools in Pankow, as well as the overall safety of the neighborhood.

Pankow is a pretty big neighborhood to the north of Berlin and is well connected to the rest of Berlin with U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, and buses. However, this is a big neighborhood, so there’s no harm in getting a bike if you plan to live here; it will make your day-to-day movement simple.

Pankow has a bigger native population than other Berlin neighborhoods, but it’s becoming more international over time. Particularly with creatives and young professionals, this neighborhood has seen more internationals living there each year. It’s also a pretty chilled neighborhood with very minimal crime. Locals attest that Pankow isn’t a very touristic neighborhood, so even petty crime here is very rare, which is why so many families move here.

Pankow is one of the cheaper neighborhoods to live in Berlin. As you go further north, the average rent tends to drop, but the availability of rentals also drops. On average, while renting in Pankow, you should expect to pay per month:

• Room: €650
• Studio: €1,200
• Apartment: €1,600

Lichtenberg is one of the best-known neighborhoods in Berlin, but in recent years, it’s become less popular amongst new arrivals to the city. Located in East Berlin, Lichtenberg’s architecture is not the prettiest, and the area is considered a bit outdated. However, plenty of expats see Lichtenberg as a great starting point for life in Berlin. For families, there’re plenty of green spaces, a huge zoo, and plenty of schools. For students, it offers affordable housing, internship opportunities, and great transport connections to easily reach campus. For professionals and those wanting to work or create a startup in Berlin, it’s got plenty of job opportunities and budget-friendly business spaces to rent.

Lichtenberg has plenty of public transport options, which connect you to other parts of Berlin quickly and reliably.

Though very residential and quiet, Lichtenberg is a very multicultural place to live in Berlin. Here, you’ll have an incredible mixture of locals and foreigners as there’s a large Vietnamese community living amongst German families. In recent years, it’s become more popular with English-speaking expats who want to take advantage of the affordable rental prices. Lichtenberg is also considered the safest neighborhood in Berlin, and life here is particularly peaceful and quiet.

While there’re not a lot of rooms available to rent in Lichtenberg, the average price of studios and apartments here is quite a bit less than in other Berlin neighborhoods. If you decide to rent in Lichtenberg, your monthly rent will be about:

• Room: €700
• Studio: €900
• Apartment: €1,550

Tempelhof-Schöneberg is a quiet residential neighborhood in West Berlin. Home to a few gay bars and clubs, Schöneberg is a popular spot for young adults and students to settle down in Berlin. Berlin School of Economics and Law is also located in Schöneberg, so plenty of students will choose to live nearby. Surprisingly, this Tempelhof-Schöneberg is popular amongst families who enjoy the plentiful parks, play areas, and frequent family-friendly activities hosted in the former airport grounds.

Like all other Berlin neighborhoods, Tempelhof-Schöneberg is well-covered by public transport options. Again, though, it’s a pretty big neighborhood, so cycling is also a great way to get around.

Tempelhof-Schöneberg has a unique mixture of expat families, German families, international students, and professionals living here. It’s got a relatively international vibe, yet international and local families tend to mesh together easily despite their cultural differences. You’ll often find young people flocking to some of the trendy hangout spots in Tempelhof-Schöneberg, too. Tempelhof-Schöneberg is a super safe neighborhood, too, particularly as you move towards the southern half of the neighborhood, where most families settle.

The price of rent in Tempelhof-Schöneberg varies greatly depending on where you decide to live within the neighborhood. Generally speaking, things are cheaper in the southern half of the neighborhood, which is further from the center of Berlin. A rough idea of how much you’ll pay per month renting in Tempelhof-Schöneberg is:

• Room: €650
• Studio: €1,200
• Apartment: €1,700

Treptow-Köpenick is a diverse Berlin neighborhood that attracts both young adults and families alike. There’re plenty of co-working spaces, start-ups, and offices here, which attract young professionals to settle in the area for a short commute. There’re also great nightlife options, which go hand in hand with the young population. On the other hand, Treptow-Köpenick is also known for its forests, lakes, and nature reserves. The tranquility of many outdoor spaces also attracts plenty of families to settle in Treptow-Köpenick.

Treptow is close to Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Neukölln, and frequent trains make it simple to get around. Köpenick is a little further away from the center of Berlin, but it’s a quick trip to the center via public transportation lines.

The affordable cost of rent, availability of employment, and excellent amenities have made Treptow-Köpenick a desirable neighborhood for expats. Treptow, in particular, has become a trendy, artsy spot, attracting internationals to its alt-vibe. The more you move to the east, the more family houses you’ll encounter. Köpenick is less international, and more locals live here, but you’ll still feel very comfortable as an expat. As you’d expect, Treptow-Köpenick is very safe neighborhood, with minimal crime.

You won’t find a lot of studios for rent in Treptow-Köpenick, which makes them a bit pricier. However, renting a private room or apartment in this neighborhood is quite affordable. Your monthly rent in Treptow-Köpenick will cost about:

• Room: €600
• Studio: €1,000
• Apartment: €1,400

Want to stay away from the action? Finding the peace and quiet you seek might be hard in the popular neighborhoods of Berlin. Or maybe you’re looking for a place to start a family. Then safety and nature might be your primary concerns.

If that sounds like you, consider the tranquil residential areas of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Reinickendorf, and Spandau.

Each neighborhood lies on the outskirts of Berlin, bringing about all the benefits of a suburban lifestyle. Here, you can enjoy the lowest rental prices and crime rates while accessing beautiful recreational areas. Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Spandau, and Reinickendorf will treat you with lush forests and lakes. In Marzahn-Hellersdorf, you’ll find historic concrete towers, high-rise apartments, and vast parks.

Berlin is a hot spot for internationals, so it's absolutely possible that you’ll find your dream home in a place with like-minded people. But, Berlin's popularity also means that housing is in high demand in the German capital, so you’ll want to explore homes for rent in Berlin early.

We wish you good luck in your search!

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