Many households in Germany continue to face financial difficulties, with over 32% unable to cover unexpected expenses of at least 1,250 euros in 2024, reflecting ongoing economic pressures.

While there has been a slight improvement since 2023, when 35% of people lacked sufficient savings for unforeseen costs, a significant portion still struggles to build financial resilience.

Unexpected expenses, such as appliance repairs, remain a major challenge for many households, with a third lacking enough savings to cover these costs.

Housing-related costs, including water, waste disposal, and building maintenance, increased by 4% in August 2025 compared to the previous year, outpacing the overall consumer price inflation of 2.2%, adding financial strain for tenants.

This rise in housing costs continues to burden household budgets amidst broader inflation, further exacerbating financial pressures.

Renters are more vulnerable financially, with 6.4% of tenants having unpaid utility bills, compared to 3.4% of homeowners, indicating higher economic strain among rental households.

In 2024, around 4.2 million people in Germany, or 5% of the population, experienced delays in paying energy bills, a slight decrease from 5.4% the previous year, despite persistent high energy prices.

Although energy prices fell by 2.3% in August 2025 compared to the previous year, costs remain high due to sharp increases in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.