Operating costs for office properties in German cities have risen dramatically in recent years and are placing an increasing burden on companies. According to the latest short study, ‘Gesamtmietbetrachtung Büromarkt Deutschland 2025’ (Overall Rental Analysis of the German Office Market 2025) by bulwiengesa and the BAUAKADEMIE Group, total rental costs in A cities have increased significantly.
Operating costs rising disproportionately
The development in the top segment is particularly dramatic: here, operating costs have almost doubled in the last five years. The share of operating costs in total costs increased by approximately six percentage points between 2016 and 2025, reaching a peak of up to 21 per cent.
‘The development of prime rents has become decoupled from the usual market mechanisms,’ explains Alexander Fieback, Head of Office and Commercial Real Estate at bulwiengesa AG. ‘The trend towards “flight to quality, flexibility and location” is leading to new highs in basic rents. The development in operating and maintenance costs is also resulting in a rising “second rent” for everyone.’
Energy prices and wage-price spiral as main drivers
The study identifies three main drivers of cost increases: the sharp rise in energy prices (heating) as a result of the war in Ukraine, the inflation-driven wage-price spiral in labour-intensive facility services, and significantly higher insurance premiums.
The cost structure shows that 48 per cent of operating costs are attributable to facility services, 30 per cent to utilities and waste disposal, and 22 per cent to other costs. Andreas Kühne, Managing Director of the BAUAKADEMIE Group, emphasises: ‘Around 60 per cent of the costs are fixed costs, but 40 per cent can be influenced by intelligent optimisation.’
Certifications are booming – without any cost advantage
Another finding of the study: 66 per cent of office space realised in A cities in 2025 now has building certification. Certifications have become a decisive competitive advantage in attracting tenants, but do not automatically lead to lower operating costs. ‘On the contrary, certified buildings often have higher operating costs – only heating costs are around 20 per cent lower,’ says Kühne.
Optimisation potential can be exploited in concrete terms
The analysis reveals concrete savings potential: 22 per cent of costs can be optimised through joint action by landlords and operators, while 18 per cent can be controlled by users themselves. ‘While some investors are already taking active countermeasures and even achieving cost reductions, others are seeing their operating costs rise above the rate of inflation,’ explains Kühne.
Source: DEAL-Magazin