Property prices in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area 2026

01Property prices 2026 at a glance

The land value provides the most reliable indication of property prices in Düsseldorf. It indicates the average cost of one square meter of undeveloped land in a zone. The basis is the purchase prices actually paid, which the notaries report to the valuation committee - not asking prices from advertisements.

Düsseldorf's valuation committee determines the values as at 1 January (§ 196 BauGB). The current figures have the reference date 01.01.2026. They are published in BORIS NRW under the “Datenlizenz Deutschland – Zero – 2.0” licence and may be used freely.

Values vary substantially between neighbouring zones and especially between districts. The district table on the BORIS NRW: official land values page summarises each district’s zones as a median and is updated for each new reference date. Individual offer pages exist for districts such as Kaiserswerth, Benrath, Gerresheim and Angermund.

02Surrounding area in comparison: 28 cities

In the surrounding area, the standard land values in most cities are below the Düsseldorf level. How big the distance is depends largely on the location - even within a city, the center and outskirts differ significantly.

Every city has a responsible valuation committee. Independent cities and some large district towns have their own, the other district towns share the committee of their district. This is important if you want to read the property market report or request an appraisal.

Compare standard land values only for the same plot type and reference date. Zone characteristics may explain large differences. Consult the official data at BORIS NRW and check the stated features.

03Development since 2020

For a time series you need official values for several key dates and comparable zones. Changing boundaries or features can create an apparent trend. This guide does not provide its own current time series.

Three points help when reading the time series:

1. 1Valuation date rather than purchase dateEach value describes the price level at 1 January. Developments in the current year will only appear on the next reference date.
2. 2Zones changeValuation committees occasionally redesign zones. A jump in the median can therefore also be due to a changed boundary.
3. 3Few sales, big impactIn districts with few undeveloped plots, the values are based on only a small number of purchase prices. The committee therefore also derives them from comparable locations.

The Düsseldorf Valuation Committee publishes additional figures – number of purchase cases, price indices, conversion coefficients – every year in the property market report. It is available via BORIS NRW.

04Land value vs. purchase price: why properties differ

The purchase price of a property almost always differs from the land value. The guideline value applies to a typical property in the zone - with a certain size, use and structural utilization. These features are included in every zone in BORIS NRW.

When buying or selling, use the standard land value as a starting point and adjust for the specific plot’s characteristics. If you need a defensible individual value, for example for an inheritance dispute or the tax office, an appraisal can help. See the guide to market value reports for more detail.

05Check building law: development plan, § 34 BauGB

Whether and how you are allowed to build determines the value of a property more than any description of the location. Clarify building laws before you buy, not after.

1. 1Development planIf there is a development plan, it specifies the type and size of the development: residential or mixed area, number of floors, building boundaries, roof shape. The city planning office of the city of Düsseldorf provides information.
2. 2Built-up area under § 34 BauGBWithout a development plan in the built-up district, a new building must fit into the surrounding area - in terms of type, dimensions, construction method and built-up area. What that actually means is often a matter of interpretation.
3. 3Outside built-up areas under § 35 BauGBOutside the built-up districts, residential construction is only permitted in exceptional cases. A cheap price usually does not mean building land here.
4. 4Preliminary planning enquiryA preliminary planning enquiry to the building authority can provide a binding answer to specific questions. You can make the purchase agreement conditional on its outcome.

06Infrastructure development and adjacent-property contributions

If the road serving the property has not yet been finally completed, the municipality may charge infrastructure development contributions under §§ 127 ff. BauGB. It must bear at least 10% of eligible expenditure itself (§ 129(1) BauGB); the remaining share is allocated to the adjoining properties.

The NRW Municipal Charges Act governs whether adjacent property owners contribute to the expansion and renewal of existing roads. The state has changed these rules several times in recent years. Ask the city which rule applies to a specific project; the legislation is available at recht.nrw.de.

1. 1Request a certificate of outstanding infrastructure contributions (Anliegerbescheinigung)The city confirms whether contributions are still open for the property or are foreseeable.
2. 2Regulate in the purchase contractDetermine who will pay contributions for measures that have already begun or have been completed. Without regulation, it is the responsibility of whoever is the owner when the notice is served.
3. 3Plan connectionsThe builder also pays sewer, water, electricity and telecommunications connections to the supplier.

07Heritable building rights as a lower-cost alternative

With a heritable building right (Erbbaurecht), you acquire the right to build on land rather than buying the land itself. In return, you pay the landowner annual ground rent. Initial capital needs are substantially lower because you do not pay the purchase price of the land.

Heritable building rights (Erbbaurecht) are often granted by churches, foundations and municipalities. Whether one is worthwhile depends on the ground rent relative to financing costs and how long you intend to stay. Creating such a right also triggers property transfer tax.

08Additional purchase costs for the property

In North Rhine-Westphalia, 6.5% real estate transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) is added to the purchase price. On top of that come notary and land register fees, which depend on the purchase price, and – if an agent is involved – the agent's commission.

The statutory division of the broker's commission between buyer and seller (§ 656c BGB) only applies to apartments and single-family houses. For undeveloped land, the commission is freely negotiable. Also plan costs for surveying, a soil report and, if necessary, the removal of contaminated sites or old buildings.

09Find properties in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area

Undeveloped land is scarce in Düsseldorf. Many building sites are created by demolishing an old building or by dividing a large garden plot. Therefore, you should not only look for “building land”, but also for houses with large plots of land.

1. 1Offers per districtCheck current offers directly with the provider: record the area, permitted use, rights, infrastructure development and price separately.
2. 2Include the surrounding areaCompare standard land values in BORIS NRW: official land values, BORIS NRW: official land values, BORIS NRW: official land values or BORIS NRW: official land values with your preferred location in Düsseldorf.
3. 3Urban propertiesYou can find out whether the city of Düsseldorf is offering its own space for sale or under leasehold at duesseldorf.de.
4. 4ForeclosuresDates of the Düsseldorf District Court can be found in the states' compulsory auction portal (zvg-portal.de). Check the report in the file before the appointment.

Once you have found a property, compare the asking price with the land value of the zone and the features mentioned above. If the price is significantly higher, ask why - perhaps a higher permitted development.