Buy-to-Let Properties in Bochum: What the 2026 Figures Say

Moe Afonso · 2026-10-13

You are looking for a rented apartment where the purchase price and rent are still in a reasonable relationship. Then you will sooner or later land in the Ruhr area, and Bochum is one of the cities most frequently mentioned there. University, colleges, a new business park on the former Opel site.

The figures confirm part of this. A rented condominium cost an average of €1,779/sqm in 2025, which is about 21 times its annual rent. In Cologne or Düsseldorf, this value is significantly higher. The price for this is in the same statistics: low rents, a population that is shrinking in the long term according to the state forecast, and more vacancy than in the Rhine cities.

Here you will find the official figures with sources, the six city districts in comparison, the rules for landlords, and an honest calculation for an existing and a new-build apartment.

01Bochum in figures

The table summarizes the data on which this page is based. Each row states the source and status.

02Population and demand

How many people live in Bochum depends on who you ask. The city counts 375,625 inhabitants in the population register (end of 2025), 421 more than a year earlier. The State Statistical Office IT.NRW reports 358,676 (end of 2024) because it is based on the 2022 Census and only counts main residences. For you as an investor, the direction is what matters most.

And it is mixed. In 2025, 2,531 more people moved to Bochum than away. At the same time, 1,774 more people died than were born. The average age is 44.4 years. The city therefore only grows through migration, which depends heavily on universities and jobs.

For landlords, the household structure is important. Out of 199,800 Bochum households, 102,000 consist of one person, which is 51.1%. On average, only 1.85 people live in a household. Small and medium-sized apartments are therefore needed.

In the long term, the state does not see Bochum growing. The IT.NRW forecast expects a decline from 357,000 to 348,200 inhabitants by 2050, i.e., −2.5%. Bonn, Münster, or Bielefeld are expected to grow in the same period. A forecast is not a certainty, but it belongs in your consideration if you want to hold an apartment for 20 or 30 years.

03Economy and labor market

Bochum is an example of structural change. The last coal mine closed in 1973, the Opel plant in 2014. Since then, the Mark 51°7 business park has been developed on around 70 hectares of the former plant site. Companies such as a DHL parcel center, railway technology manufacturer Wabtec, and ETAS from the Bosch Group have settled there. A Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy is being built there.

At the end of 2024, exactly 151,284 people were in employment subject to social security contributions in Bochum. 94,530 commuted in, 84,184 out, a balance of +10,346. Bochum is thus a place of work for the surrounding area, but to a much smaller extent than Cologne or Düsseldorf.

The counter-argument can be found in the unemployment statistics. In September 2026, 19,410 people were unemployed in Bochum, a rate of 9.6%. A year earlier, it was 9.0%. The state average is lower. Almost three-quarters of the unemployed receive basic security (Grundsicherung).

The most stable demand block is the universities. Ruhr University counts around 37,650 students in the 2025/26 winter semester, and Bochum University around 9,360. In addition, there are smaller colleges such as the Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences and the Protestant University of Applied Sciences. Students primarily look for small apartments near the university and in the city center.

04Rents, purchase prices, and rental yield

In Bochum, there are three rental figures you should distinguish between.

The rent index in Bochum is qualified, i.e., prepared according to scientific principles and recognized by tenant and landlord associations. A special feature: It does not distinguish between residential locations. The evaluation found no clear price differences between locations. Surcharges are given for equipment, such as €0.44/sqm for a balcony or €0.66/sqm for a very good energy value.

For purchase prices, the Real Estate Market Report from the Expert Committee is the best source because it evaluates all notarized purchase contracts. In 2025, 905 condominiums were sold for around €169 million. Used apartments cost an average of around €2,080/sqm, weighted by the number of sales per year-of-construction group. New-build apartments cost €4,870/sqm.

For investors, the evaluation of rented apartments is even more precise. The Expert Committee recorded 362 such sales: Ø 59 sqm, Ø €1,779/sqm, Ø rent €7.09/sqm. Unrented apartments were about a fifth more expensive at €2,148/sqm because owner-occupiers are also bidding.

Two key figures can be derived from this. The purchase price factor indicates how many annual rents the purchase price corresponds to. The gross rental yield is the reciprocal in percent, i.e., annual rent divided by purchase price, before costs.

For rented apartments, this results in a purchase price factor of 20.9. This is low for a large German city. However, the property interest rate (Liegenschaftszinssatz), which the Expert Committee determined to be 1.9% for rented condominiums, shows that significantly less remains after all management costs. These costs amounted to 29% of the gross income in the evaluation.

Calculate your personal rental yield for Bochum here.

05The six districts in comparison

Bochum is divided into six districts. Prices and rents vary significantly.

Data: Asking prices and rents from the 2025 Housing Market Barometer. Actual transaction prices are usually lower.

For investors, the East and Southwest are interesting because demand there is high due to the university and new jobs. Bochum-Süd (especially Stiepel) is the "noble" district with high prices where the rental yield is often lower.

06Rules for landlords in Bochum

Landlords in North Rhine-Westphalia must pay attention to the state ordinance. For Bochum, however, many stricter rules do not apply:

1. No Rent Control (Mietpreisbremse): When re-renting, the rent can theoretically be freely agreed. In practice, however, the "rent usury" limit (§ 5 WiStG) of 20% above the local comparative rent applies.
2. Rent Increase Cap (Kappungsgrenze): For existing contracts, the rent can be increased by a maximum of 20% within three years (up to the local comparative rent). In many other NRW cities, this limit is 15%.
3. Property Transfer Tax: At 6.5%, it is at the upper end in Germany. This increases the closing costs.

07Sample calculation: Two apartments in Bochum

What remains at the end of the month? We calculate an existing apartment (built in 1970) and a new-build apartment (first sale). Both are 60 sqm and are financed with 20% equity and 3.5% interest.

Note: The tax benefit from depreciation (AfA) and interest can significantly reduce the monthly extra payment. In the case of the existing apartment, the cash flow after tax is often near zero.