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Living in Bielefeld

In Bielefeld, the median gross salary is €4,156 a month (2025), the official rent index for existing tenancies is €6.72 per m² a month (2024) and unemployment is 8.9% (2024).

Monthly mean temperatures were 2.3°C in January and 18.4°C in July. Population density was 1,281.2 people per km² in 2024. The unemployment rate was 8.9% in 2024. Bielefeld had a population of 343,507 at the end of 2025.

Last checked 2026-09-2445 sources

Population343,507people31 Dec 2025Official source · Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 2025
Median gross salary4,156EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025
Average net rent6.72EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.81 — 16% aboveOfficial source · Stadt Bielefeld — Bauamt, Wohnungsaufsicht; Arbeitskreis Mietspiegel Bielefeld (Haus & Grund Stadt Bielefeld, IVD West, Mieterbund OWL, Wohnungswirtschaft OWL, Gutachterausschuss) — Bielefelder Mietspiegel 2024
Unemployment rate8.9%country median 5.1% — 75% aboveOfficial source · Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average
Recorded crime8,264incidents per 100,000country median 9,397 — 12% belowOfficial source · PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte
PM2.5, annual mean8.84µg/m³country median 8.0 — 10% aboveOfficial source · Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.

Pricier rent than 74% of German cities that publish it, higher unemployment than 95% of German cities that publish it and less recorded crime than 68% of German cities that publish it.

Which Germany-wide rules apply when you move to Bielefeld?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in GermanyNational rates and thresholds that apply in Bielefeld.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

A city-level estimate placed average net cold rent at €6.72 per m² per month in March 2024.

How much does it cost to rent in Bielefeld?

Average net cold rent is 6.72 EUR/m² per month (March 2024), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 6.72 EUR/m²/month · Stadt Bielefeld — Bauamt, Wohnungsaufsicht; Arbeitskreis Mietspiegel Bielefeld (Haus & Grund Stadt Bielefeld, IVD West, Mieterbund OWL, Wohnungswirtschaft OWL, Gutachterausschuss) — Bielefelder Mietspiegel 202426
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Bielefeld recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€341
Utilities, 85 m² flat€288
Transport pass€90
Mobile plan, 10 GB€31
Internet, 60 Mbps€29
Fitness club€28

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesBielefeld highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Bielefeld highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Munich€15.38
Hamburg€9.94
Stuttgart€9.72
Bielefeld€6.72
Leipzig€6.27
Dortmund€6.00
Show the other 6 cities
Augsburg€9.10
Mannheim€9.09
Berlin€7.71
Dresden€7.20
Brunswick€6.79
Duisburg€6.66
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly28.19 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited29.02 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly340.8 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant9.95 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB30.98 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Bielefeld. Jun 2026. Prices in Bielefeld44Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass89.57 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home287.7 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v245Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings172,479 dwellings31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder30Official
Housing vacancy rate3.08 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder30Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)6.72 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.811 Mar 2024Stadt Bielefeld — Bauamt, Wohnungsaufsicht; Arbeitskreis Mietspiegel Bielefeld (Haus & Grund Stadt Bielefeld, IVD West, Mieterbund OWL, Wohnungswirtschaft OWL, Gutachterausschuss) — Bielefelder Mietspiegel 202426Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)Alternative estimate9 EUR/m²/month2024BBSR INKAR — advertised asking rent for re-let flats (indicator 2113)16Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · district-level figure

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €1,008 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €4,156, that leaves €3,148 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Bielefeld salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €1,008 basket · median gross salary €4,156/month
  • Net rent, 85 m² · 57%€571
  • Utilities, 85 m² · 29%€288
  • Transport pass · 9%€90
  • Internet and mobile · 6%€60

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €1,008 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-09-24).

Is Bielefeld a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker51%strong on work, weak on safety · range 43–59%
Skilled employee60%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–68%
Student62%strong on education, weak on safety · range 55–69%
Family50%strong on family, weak on cost · range 43–57%
Retirement46%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 37–55%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 403 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 6.72 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: March 2024

Is rent affordable on a local salary?

A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 403 EUR a month, which is 10% of the published median gross salary of 4,156 (2025). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.

Source period: March 2024

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Bielefeld?

The median gross salary is about 4,156 EUR/month (2025). The regional series (home-region basis, 2024) is a separate labelled row in the table.

City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions.

  • Median gross salary: 4,156 EUR/month · Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.202525
  • Median gross salary (regional): 4,000 EUR/month · 2026-07-29 · BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich — Medianentgelt Kreise Wohnort 20243

What is the unemployment rate in Bielefeld?

The unemployment rate is 8.9 % (2024). Source: Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average2

Unemployment across cities in GermanyUnemployment in Bielefeld is 8.9%. Of 3,080 cities with data, 1,332 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fibre-to-the-building availability29.25 %31 Dec 2025data.bundesnetzagentur.de8Official
Gigabit broadband availability86.89 %31 Dec 2025Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas7Official
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Agentur für Arbeit Bielefeld — official office page1Official
People in employment158,110 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder31Official
Median gross salary4,156 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.202525Official
Median gross salary (regional)4,000 EUR/month31 Dec 2024BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich — Medianentgelt Kreise Wohnort 20243Official · regional context
Unemployment rate8.9 %country median 5.1%31 Dec 2024Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average2Official
Unemployment rate over time11 published observations, 2015–2025

Unemployment rate rose 50.9% between 2015 and 2025, from 6.0% to 9.1%.

What does a salary buy in Bielefeld?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Bielefeld median gross pay: €4,156 (Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025, 2025-12-31).
Left over each month€1,710of €2,687 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€2,687
Rent, 60 m²€9.00/m² advertised for new lettings (market price · INKAR · 2024). Official average for existing leases: €6.72/m² (official · Stadt Bielefeld · 2024-03-01).− €540
Public transport pass€90 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €90
Utilities, 85 m²€288 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €288
Internet€29 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €29
Mobile plan€31 · market price · Cost of Living in Bielefeld. Jun 2026. Prices in Bielefeld · 2026-07-31− €31
Left over€1,710
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Bielefeld Salary needed to live in Bielefeld

Public employment offices in Bielefeld

Agentur für Arbeit Bielefeld lists 1 public employment office in Bielefeld (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Public employment service

Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Job Search
Search jobs
Open the Germany service overview

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public language course providers10 count9 Aug 2026Official accepted language-service location records19Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 15, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Länder Sprachförderung (e.g. Sprachlernklassen BW/Berlin; vorklassen); Starting Opportunities Programme. How to enrol a child (kmk.org).

A country-wide rule for Germany; Bielefeld's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents682.7 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (Bundesklinik-Atlas)6Official
Hospitals7 count31 Dec 2024Krankenhausverzeichnis 202418Official

Yes — migrants receive medical care in Bielefeld through valid health insurance.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents682.7 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-08-03
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Bielefeld?

Police recorded 8,264 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte24

Recorded crime across major citiesBielefeld highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Bielefeld highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Bremen15,424
Frankfurt14,600
Berlin13,900
Cologne12,343
Dortmund12,283
Dusseldorf12,172
Leipzig11,129
Essen9,619
Dresden8,853
Stuttgart8,552
Bielefeld8,264
Munich6,214
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents8,264 incidents per 100,000country median 9,39731 Dec 2024PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte24Official
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residentsAlternative estimate7,320 incidents per 100,0002022INKAR — Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung, district (Kreis) indicator table16Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · district-level figure
Months covered by crime statistics12 months/year31 Dec 2025BKA PKS T01 Staedte-Falltabelle5Official

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport8 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat22Official
Nearest airportPAD13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv23Official
Distance to nearest airport45.3 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv23Official

Language courses and integration in Bielefeld

20 exact course-location records are linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
20verified local records
10publicly funded course providers

Katholische Erwachsenen- und Familienbildung im Erzbistum Paderborn

Turnerstr. 4, 33602 Bielefeld

View official record

Dialog Consulting-Interkulturelle Beratungs- und Personalentwicklungsgesellschaft - Karakoc u. Yagcioglu GbR

Stadtheider Str. 10a, 33609 Bielefeld

View official record
Check courses in BielefeldHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-09. Showing 3 representative locations from 20 verified records. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Bielefeld

Climate and air quality

Monthly precipitation was 88 mm in January and 77 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 8.84 µg/m³ in 2024.

Is the air quality good in Bielefeld?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 8.84 µg/m³ · Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.21
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in GermanyAnnual PM2.5 in Bielefeld is 8.8 µg/m³. Of 477 cities with data, 164 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean17.34 µg/m³country median 13.72024Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.21Official
NO₂ — latest reading16.79 µg/m³15 Jul 2026Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.21Official
PM10 — annual mean13.03 µg/m³country median 13.52024Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.21Official
PM2.5 — annual mean8.84 µg/m³country median 8.02024Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted.21Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 4.3 · Feb 5.5 · Mar 9.3 · Apr 14.3 · May 18.2 · Jun 21.1 · Jul 23.4 · Aug 23.2 · Sep 19 · Oct 13.8 · Nov 8.4 · Dec 5.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Salzuflen32Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan -0.2 · Feb -0.1 · Mar 2 · Apr 4.9 · May 8.2 · Jun 11.2 · Jul 13.4 · Aug 13.4 · Sep 10.3 · Oct 6.9 · Nov 3.5 · Dec 0.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Salzuflen32Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 2.3 · Feb 2.8 · Mar 5.6 · Apr 9.4 · May 13.4 · Jun 16.3 · Jul 18.4 · Aug 18 · Sep 14.2 · Oct 10.1 · Nov 6 · Dec 3.2 °C31 Dec 1991DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (temperature)13Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 88 · Feb 65 · Mar 65 · Apr 48 · May 61 · Jun 71 · Jul 77 · Aug 80 · Sep 71 · Oct 74 · Nov 74 · Dec 89 mm31 Dec 1991DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (precipitation)11Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 47 · Feb 71 · Mar 120 · Apr 176 · May 209 · Jun 207 · Jul 213 · Aug 198 · Sep 147 · Oct 104 · Nov 51 · Dec 38 hours31 Dec 1991DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (sunshine)12Official
Annual mean temperature9.8 °C31 Dec 2020DWD Climate Data Center — Klimanormal 1991-2020, Jahresmittel Lufttemperatur 2m (1×1 km Raster)10Official · land
Annual PM2.5 over time9 published observations, 2014–2024

Annual PM2.5 fell 32.0% between 2014 and 2024, from 13.0 to 8.8.

Similar climate. In Germany: Werl ±0.6 °C. Elsewhere: Gentofte (Denmark) ±0.8 °C, Lyngby-Taarbæk (Denmark) ±0.8 °C, Rudersdal (Denmark) ±0.8 °C, Reims (France) ±1.2 °C, Saanich (Canada) ±1.4 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Bielefeld?

The published population was 343,507 people in 2025. Source: Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 202527

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents534 cars/1000 residents1 Jan 2026Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality17Official
City area258.6 km²31 Dec 2025Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 202527Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context
Foreign-resident share17.4 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat14Official
Foreign residents54,454 people15 May 2022Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities34Official
Population density1,281 people/km²31 Dec 2024Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row.20Official
Female residents170,103 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder34Official
Male residents159,975 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder34Official
Population343,507 people31 Dec 2025Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 202527Official
Population covered by crime statistics331,605 people31 Dec 2025BKA PKS Bevölkerungsdaten (04-KR-BV-insg, Quelle Statistisches Bundesamt)4Official
Population over time14 published observations, 2012–2025

Population rose 5.0% between 2012 and 2025, from 327,199 to 343,507.

Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2016–2025

Foreign residents rose 34.5% between 2016 and 2025, from 43,548 to 58,588.

People and communities

MetricValuePeriodSource
Catholic residents46,330 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
Catholic share14 %31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
No religion or other178,172 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
No religion or other, share54 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)9Official
Protestant residents105,568 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
Protestant share32 %31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official

International community in Bielefeld

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons · 2022-05-15

Published groupPeopleShare
Total330,072100.0%
Germany245,70174.4%
Turkey12,5093.8%
Poland11,0073.3%
Russian Federation8,9132.7%
Kazakhstan6,2391.9%
Iraq5,7741.7%
Syrian Arab Republic3,3921.0%
Ukraine3,3821.0%
Greece2,3530.7%
Serbia1,7930.5%
Show 152 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Kosovo1,6110.5%
Romania1,5650.5%
Bulgaria1,4540.4%
Kyrgyzstan1,4040.4%
Bosnia and Herzegovina1,3480.4%
Morocco1,2100.4%
Italy1,1950.4%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of8560.3%
Sri Lanka8150.2%
Croatia7800.2%
Afghanistan6620.2%
Iran, Islamic Republic of6470.2%
United Kingdom6250.2%
Spain5900.2%
Moldova, Republic of5670.2%
Albania4820.1%
Nigeria4650.1%
China4460.1%
India4160.1%
Pakistan4060.1%
Lithuania4010.1%
Not stated3680.1%
France3640.1%
Austria3640.1%
Czech Republic3520.1%
Viet Nam3260.1%
United States3250.1%
Ghana2910.1%
Georgia2910.1%
Uzbekistan2840.1%
Hungary2800.1%
Tunisia2780.1%
Tajikistan2750.1%
Netherlands2740.1%
Brazil2570.1%
Latvia2460.1%
Egypt2320.1%
Philippines2280.1%
Armenia2250.1%
Eritrea2130.1%
Paraguay2000.1%
Lebanon1950.1%
Bangladesh1940.1%
Thailand1930.1%
Cameroon1920.1%
Algeria1900.1%
Belarus1840.1%
Switzerland1800.1%
Azerbaijan1760.1%
Portugal1730.1%
Somalia1690.1%
Guinea1440.0%
Korea, Republic of1220.0%
Colombia1120.0%
Togo1060.0%
Mexico1050.0%
Chile1040.0%
Indonesia1020.0%
Kenya1010.0%
Montenegro980.0%
Slovenia940.0%
Sweden910.0%
Belgium890.0%
Slovakia840.0%
Libya830.0%
Argentina820.0%
Japan810.0%
Estonia740.0%
Canada740.0%
Peru740.0%
Ethiopia720.0%
South Africa690.0%
Finland660.0%
Denmark650.0%
Jordan640.0%
Senegal560.0%
Dominican Republic560.0%
Gambia530.0%
Cuba530.0%
Ecuador520.0%
Côte D'Ivoire480.0%
Saudi Arabia480.0%
Australia470.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of360.0%
Israel350.0%
Yemen340.0%
Taiwan, Province of China340.0%
Malaysia330.0%
Madagascar320.0%
Zimbabwe310.0%
Benin300.0%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of290.0%
Namibia280.0%
Luxembourg270.0%
Norway270.0%
Jamaica270.0%
Nepal270.0%
Mongolia260.0%
Angola250.0%
Congo, the Democratic Republic of the250.0%
Ireland240.0%
Kuwait240.0%
Cyprus220.0%
Uruguay220.0%
Turkmenistan210.0%
Sudan190.0%
United Arab Emirates190.0%
Uganda180.0%
Singapore180.0%
Liberia160.0%
Burkina Faso150.0%
Palestinian territories150.0%
Guatemala140.0%
Nicaragua140.0%
Honduras130.0%
Rwanda120.0%
Sierra Leone120.0%
Mozambique110.0%
Mali100.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of100.0%
Saint Lucia100.0%
Lao People'S Democratic Republic100.0%
Congo90.0%
Niger90.0%
Costa Rica80.0%
Trinidad and Tobago80.0%
Myanmar80.0%
Barbados70.0%
Cambodia70.0%
New Zealand60.0%
Malta50.0%
Cape Verde50.0%
Zambia50.0%
Haiti50.0%
Panama50.0%
Mauritius40.0%
Guinea-Bissau40.0%
South Sudan40.0%
Belize40.0%
El Salvador40.0%
Liechtenstein30.0%
Djibouti30.0%
Gabon30.0%
Equatorial Guinea30.0%
Swaziland30.0%
Central African Republic30.0%
Dominica30.0%
Saint Kitts and Nevis30.0%
Bahrain30.0%
Korea, Democratic People'S Republic of30.0%
Qatar30.0%
Vanuatu30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source29

Citizenship

Persons · 2022-05-15

Published groupPeopleShare
Total330,072100.0%
Germany275,61883.5%
Turkey10,1883.1%
Iraq5,9991.8%
Syrian Arab Republic3,5501.1%
Poland3,2481.0%
Greece3,1901.0%
Ukraine2,5030.8%
Serbia1,7970.5%
Bulgaria1,7100.5%
Italy1,6150.5%
Show 138 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Kosovo1,6070.5%
Romania1,3370.4%
Croatia1,2790.4%
Russian Federation1,1850.4%
Bosnia and Herzegovina8370.3%
Spain7820.2%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of7590.2%
Afghanistan6240.2%
Morocco6030.2%
Hungary5400.2%
Sri Lanka5330.2%
Nigeria4980.2%
Albania4150.1%
United Kingdom3900.1%
China3890.1%
Iran, Islamic Republic of3690.1%
Netherlands3410.1%
India3180.1%
Lithuania2990.1%
Kazakhstan2850.1%
Austria2730.1%
France2670.1%
Pakistan2600.1%
Ghana2490.1%
Portugal2400.1%
Somalia2390.1%
Eritrea2360.1%
Georgia2160.1%
Armenia2020.1%
Viet Nam1920.1%
Latvia1910.1%
Bangladesh1890.1%
Egypt1840.1%
United States1710.1%
Azerbaijan1600.0%
Guinea1560.0%
Tunisia1550.0%
Cameroon1400.0%
Sweden1280.0%
Thailand1280.0%
Belarus1220.0%
Brazil1190.0%
Uncertain1180.0%
Korea, Republic of1100.0%
Algeria1070.0%
Philippines1050.0%
Kyrgyzstan1030.0%
Montenegro960.0%
Lebanon930.0%
Stateless910.0%
Moldova, Republic of870.0%
Switzerland860.0%
Belgium780.0%
Colombia770.0%
Tajikistan770.0%
Togo760.0%
Indonesia750.0%
Kenya740.0%
Slovenia710.0%
Japan670.0%
Slovakia660.0%
Mexico630.0%
Libya590.0%
Czech Republic510.0%
Finland430.0%
Chile420.0%
Estonia410.0%
Côte D'Ivoire400.0%
Jordan390.0%
Uzbekistan380.0%
Gambia370.0%
Senegal370.0%
Denmark330.0%
Peru330.0%
Yemen310.0%
Ireland300.0%
Ethiopia300.0%
Canada290.0%
Dominican Republic280.0%
Angola270.0%
Cuba260.0%
Mongolia260.0%
Taiwan, Province of China260.0%
Australia250.0%
South Africa230.0%
Ecuador230.0%
Madagascar220.0%
Argentina220.0%
Benin210.0%
Malaysia210.0%
Norway200.0%
Zimbabwe200.0%
Palestinian territories200.0%
Israel190.0%
Not stated190.0%
Nepal180.0%
Sudan170.0%
Uganda160.0%
Paraguay160.0%
Cyprus150.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of150.0%
Congo, the Democratic Republic of the140.0%
Nicaragua140.0%
Rwanda120.0%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of110.0%
Luxembourg100.0%
Mali100.0%
Sierra Leone100.0%
Jamaica100.0%
Burkina Faso90.0%
Namibia90.0%
Honduras90.0%
Myanmar90.0%
Saudi Arabia80.0%
Congo60.0%
Mozambique60.0%
Guatemala60.0%
Gabon50.0%
Mauritius50.0%
Saint Lucia50.0%
South Sudan40.0%
Costa Rica40.0%
Panama40.0%
Turkmenistan40.0%
Malta30.0%
Lesotho30.0%
Cape Verde30.0%
Niger30.0%
Barbados30.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of30.0%
Dominica30.0%
El Salvador30.0%
Uruguay30.0%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines30.0%
Trinidad and Tobago30.0%
China (Hong Kong)30.0%
Bahrain30.0%
Singapore30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source28

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Owner-occupied homes33.26 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder30Official
Labour force170,650 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder31Official
Local business-tax multiplier480 %31 Dec 2022www.statistikportal.de33Official
Local property-tax multiplier660 %31 Dec 2022www.statistikportal.de33Official

Alternatives for people set on Bielefeld

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Paderborn as a Bielefeld alternative in the same region

37 km away, better on 2 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Rent and median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €6.69/m² (2022) Paderborn vs €6.72/m² (2024) Bielefeldno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 14.8 km Paderborn vs 45.3 km Bielefeld−67%
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,900 Paderborn vs €4,000 Bielefeldno percentage
  • Foreign residents: 13.8% Paderborn vs 17.4% Bielefeld−21%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €258 Paderborn vs €288 Bielefeld−10%
  • A meal out: €11 Paderborn vs €10 Bielefeld+10%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,445 Paderborn vs 8,264 Bielefeldsame level
Full comparisonMore about Paderborn

Karlsruhe as a Bielefeld alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 334 km, better on 5 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 4.9% Karlsruhe vs 8.9% Bielefeld−45%
  • Rent: €8.46/m² (2022) Karlsruhe vs €6.72/m² (2024) Bielefeldno percentage
  • Median gross pay, city: €4,793 Karlsruhe vs €4,156 Bielefeld+15%
  • Median gross pay, region: €4,550 Karlsruhe vs €4,000 Bielefeld+14%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,431 Karlsruhe vs 7,320 Bielefeld+15%
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.2 µg/m³ Karlsruhe vs 8.8 µg/m³ Bielefeld−18%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €225 Karlsruhe vs €288 Bielefeld−22%
Full comparisonMore about Karlsruhe

Valencia as a Bielefeld alternative in another country

A move, not a commute, at 1554 km, better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €8.20/m² Valencia vs €6.72/m² Bielefeldno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 9.2 km Valencia vs 45.3 km Bielefeld−80%
  • Median gross pay, region: €1,888 Valencia vs €4,000 Bielefeldno percentage
  • Foreign residents: 15.7% Valencia vs 17.4% Bielefeld−10%
Full comparisonMore about Valencia

Alternatives with a better balance

same official-source families, comparable grain — left of gross salary after the same fixed costs
Bielefeld€3,148this cityStuttgart€3,901+€753Brunswick€3,782+€634Mainz€3,509+€361Mannheim€3,412+€264Dresden€3,070−€78

Nearby is not always better: the greyed row leaves less than Bielefeld at the same fixed-cost basket. Every alternative publishes the same metric families, each with its own source and date.

Cities near Bielefeld

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Werther (Westf.) Commuting Zone · 10.5 km away
Rent
5.89 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Oerlinghausen Commuting Zone · 10.7 km away
Rent
5.96 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Halle (Westf.) Commuting Zone · 12.8 km away
Rent
5.91 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Enger Commuting Zone · 13.2 km away
Rent
5.42 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Spenge Commuting Zone · 13.4 km away
Rent
5.41 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Herford Commuting Zone · 14.5 km away
Rent
5.78 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Verl 14.9 km away
Rent
6.34 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15

Alternative cities in Germany

Other cities in Germany to compare with Bielefeld, nearest in population first.

All Germany cities
Bonn338,224 residentsMannheim329,998 residentsWuppertal364,609 residentsMünster319,295 residentsBochum375,625 residentsAugsburg308,407 residents

How does Bielefeld compare?

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Bielefeld in rankings

#18 of 30 in Largest cities in Germany #25 of 30 in Highest salary cities in Germany

Put Bielefeld's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is Bielefeld expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €1,008 against a median gross salary of €4,156, leaving about €3,148 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own source and date.

How many people live in Bielefeld?

The published population was 343,507 people in 2025. Source: Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 2025.

How much does it cost to rent in Bielefeld?

Average net cold rent is 6.72 EUR/m² per month (March 2024), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 470 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Stadt Bielefeld — Bauamt, Wohnungsaufsicht; Arbeitskreis Mietspiegel Bielefeld (Haus & Grund Stadt Bielefeld, IVD West, Mieterbund OWL, Wohnungswirtschaft OWL, Gutachterausschuss) — Bielefelder Mietspiegel 2024.

Is the air quality good in Bielefeld?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8.8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted..

How safe is Bielefeld?

Police recorded 8,264 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte.

What is the typical salary in Bielefeld?

The median gross salary is about 4,156 EUR/month (2025). The regional series (home-region basis, 2024) is a separate labelled row in the table. Source: Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025.

What is the unemployment rate in Bielefeld?

The unemployment rate is 8.9 % (2024). Source: Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average.

Is Bielefeld a good place to live?

Bielefeld may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Bielefeld?

Werther (Westf.), Oerlinghausen, Halle (Westf.), Enger, Spenge are near Bielefeld. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Germany live in Bielefeld?

The official country of birth distribution records 245,701 people (74.4%) in the source-defined population for 2022-05-15. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Bielefeld, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 3fa0cf46a8e9963901c20ee2e82c7468]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bielefeld/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_bielefeld-germany-population-cost-of-living-rent-salary_6053ab2cb890,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Bielefeld, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {3fa0cf46a8e9963901c20ee2e82c7468},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bielefeld/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Bielefeld, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bielefeld/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 3fa0cf46a8e9963901c20ee2e82c7468; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Agentur für Arbeit Bielefeld — official office page Agentur für Arbeit Bielefeld · arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-09-15
  2. Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average Arbeitslosenquoten · statistik.arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-07-26
  3. BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich — Medianentgelt Kreise Wohnort 2024 BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich · statistik.arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-07-29
  4. BKA PKS Bevölkerungsdaten (04-KR-BV-insg, Quelle Statistisches Bundesamt) bka.de · checked 2026-09-05
  5. BKA PKS T01 Staedte-Falltabelle polizei.de · checked 2026-09-05
  6. Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (Bundesklinik-Atlas) bundes-klinik-atlas.de · checked 2026-08-03
  7. Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV · gigabitgrundbuch.bund.de · checked 2026-07-14
  8. data.bundesnetzagentur.de data.bundesnetzagentur.de · checked 2026-08-08
  9. Destatis destatis.de · checked 2026-08-08
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Show 35 more sources
  1. DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (precipitation) opendata.dwd.de · checked 2026-07-26
  2. DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (sunshine) opendata.dwd.de · checked 2026-07-26
  3. DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (temperature) opendata.dwd.de · checked 2026-07-26
  4. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  5. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  6. INKAR — Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung, district (Kreis) indicator table INKAR · inkar.de · checked 2026-07-16
  7. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt · kba.de · checked 2026-07-14
  8. Krankenhausverzeichnis 2024 statistikportal.de · checked 2026-09-19
  9. Official accepted language-service location records bamf-navi.bamf.de · checked 2026-09-15
  10. Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row. destatis.de · checked 2024-12-31
  11. Official UBA station observation retained; station lies outside the exact target municipality and is not promoted. umweltbundesamt.de · checked 2026-07-15
  12. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  13. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  14. PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte bka.de · checked 2026-07-16
  15. Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025 statistik.arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-09-19
  16. Stadt Bielefeld — Bauamt, Wohnungsaufsicht; Arbeitskreis Mietspiegel Bielefeld (Haus & Grund Stadt Bielefeld, IVD West, Mieterbund OWL, Wohnungswirtschaft OWL, Gutachterausschuss) — Bielefelder Mietspiegel 2024 Stadt Bielefeld · bielefeld.de · checked 2026-07-14
  17. Stadt Bielefeld Jahresbericht 2025 bielefeld.de · checked 2026-07-14
  18. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany citizenship distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  19. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany country of birth distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  20. Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder destatis.de · checked 2026-08-07
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  22. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Salzuflen WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  23. www.statistikportal.de statistikportal.de · checked 2026-08-08
  24. Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities Zensus 2022 regional tables · destatis.de · checked 2026-07-26
  25. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
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  27. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  28. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  29. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  30. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  31. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  32. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  33. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  34. Cost of Living in Bielefeld. Jun 2026. Prices in Bielefeld numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  35. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.