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Living in Bochum

In Bochum, the median gross salary is €4,360 a month (2025), rents across existing tenancies average €6.25 per m² a month (2022) and unemployment is 9% (2024).

Bochum had 375,625 residents at the end of 2025 and is a city in Germany. Gigabit broadband availability was 94.7% in 2025. Car density was 554 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2026. For Bochum, monthly mean temperatures were 3.1°C in January and 18.9°C in July. Population density was 2,462.4 people per km² in 2024.

Last checked 2026-09-2449 sources

Population375,625people31 Dec 2025Official source · Stadt Bochum population press release
Median gross salary4,360EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025
Average net rent6.25EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.81 — 8% aboveOfficial source · Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen
Unemployment rate9%country median 5.1% — 76% aboveOfficial source · Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average
Recorded crime8,381incidents per 100,000country median 9,397 — 11% belowOfficial source · PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte
PM2.5, annual mean8µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein)

Pricier rent than 63% of German cities that publish it, higher unemployment than 96% of German cities that publish it and less recorded crime than 66% of German cities that publish it.

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

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 Bochum.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

A city-level estimate placed average net cold rent at €9.69 per m² per month in May 2026.

How much does it cost to rent in Bochum?

Average net cold rent is 6.25 EUR/m² per month (May 2022), 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): 6.25 EUR/m²/month · Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen37
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Bochum recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Utilities, 85 m² flat€203
Private kindergarten€141
Transport pass€80
Mobile plan, 10 GB€31
Internet, 60 Mbps€30
Fitness club€21

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesBochum highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Bochum highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Munich€15.38
Hamburg€9.94
Stuttgart€9.72
Augsburg€9.10
Leipzig€6.27
Dortmund€6.00
Show the other 6 cities
Mannheim€9.09
Berlin€7.71
Dresden€7.20
Brunswick€6.79
Bielefeld€6.72
Duisburg€6.66
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly20.9 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited29.61 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly140.8 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant12.44 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB30.6 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Bochum. Jun 2026. Prices in Bochum47Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass79.61 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home202.8 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v248Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings197,473 dwellings31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder37Official
Housing vacancy rate3.59 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder37Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)6.25 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €5.8115 May 2022Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen37Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)Alternative estimate9.69 EUR/m²/month1 May 2026wohnungsboerse Mietspiegel Bochum49Commercial estimate · Supplemental context

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €1,166 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €4,360, that leaves €3,194 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Bochum salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €1,166 basket · median gross salary €4,360/month
  • Net rent, 85 m² · 71%€824
  • Utilities, 85 m² · 17%€203
  • Transport pass · 7%€80
  • Internet and mobile · 5%€60

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €1,166 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-09-24).

Is Bochum 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 worker56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 47–65%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 56–72%
Student67%strong on education, weak on safety · range 60–74%
Family53%strong on education, weak on cost · range 46–60%
Retirement52%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 42–62%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 375 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 6.25 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: May 2022

Is rent affordable on a local salary?

A 60 m² flat at the published average rent is about 375 EUR a month, which is 9% of the published median gross salary of 4,360 (2025). Gross, not take-home, and before heating and operating charges.

Source period: May 2022

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 9% in 2024.

What is the typical salary in Bochum?

The median gross salary is about 4,360 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: 4,360 EUR/month · Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.202528
  • Median gross salary (regional): 4,150 EUR/month · 2026-07-29 · BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich — Medianentgelt Kreise Wohnort 20243

What is the unemployment rate in Bochum?

The unemployment rate is 9 % (2024). Source: Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average2

Unemployment across cities in GermanyUnemployment in Bochum is 9.0%. Of 3,080 cities with data, 1,332 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fibre-to-the-building availability53.38 %31 Dec 2025data.bundesnetzagentur.de8Official
Gigabit broadband availability94.72 %31 Dec 2025Bundesnetzagentur / BMDV — Breitbandatlas7Official
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Agentur für Arbeit Bochum — official office page1Official
People in employment168,040 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder33Official
Median gross salary4,360 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.202528Official
Median gross salary (regional)4,150 EUR/month31 Dec 2024BA Entgelte im regionalen Vergleich — Medianentgelt Kreise Wohnort 20243Official · regional context
Unemployment rate9 %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 34.4% between 2015 and 2025, from 6.8% to 9.1%.

What does a salary buy in Bochum?

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

Bochum median gross pay: €4,360 (Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025, 2025-12-31).
Left over each month€1,869of €2,793 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.€2,793
Rent, 60 m²€9.69/m² advertised for new lettings (market price · wohnungsboerse Mietspiegel Bochum · 2026-05-01). Official average for existing leases: €6.25/m² (official · Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen · 2022-05-15).− €581
Public transport pass€80 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €80
Utilities, 85 m²€203 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €203
Internet€30 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31− €30
Mobile plan€31 · market price · Cost of Living in Bochum. Jun 2026. Prices in Bochum · 2026-07-31− €31
Left over€1,869
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Bochum Salary needed to live in Bochum

Public employment offices in Bochum

Agentur für Arbeit Bochum lists 1 public employment office in Bochum (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 providers14 count9 Aug 2026Official accepted language-service location records23Official

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; Bochum's school authority applies it locally.

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

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents731.1 beds per 100,00031 Dec 2024Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (Bundesklinik-Atlas)6Official
Hospitals8 count31 Dec 2024Krankenhausverzeichnis 202421Official

Yes — migrants receive medical care in Bochum 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 residents731.1 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-08-03
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Bochum?

Police recorded 8,381 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) - Städte27

Recorded crime across major citiesBochum highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Bochum 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
Bochum8,381
Munich6,214
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents8,381 incidents per 100,000country median 9,39731 Dec 2024PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte27Official
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residentsAlternative estimate8,581 incidents per 100,0002022INKAR — Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung, district (Kreis) indicator table19Official 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 airport28 count13 Jun 2026OpenFlights — routes.dat25Official
Nearest airportDTM13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv26Official
Distance to nearest airport27.4 km13 Jun 2026OurAirports — airports.csv26Official

Language courses and integration in Bochum

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

Verified locally
42verified local records
14publicly funded course providers

IFAK e.V. - Verein für multikulturelle Kinder- und Jugendhilfe - Migrationsarbeit

Essener Str. 57, 44793 Bochum

View official record
Check courses in BochumHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-09. Showing 3 representative locations from 42 verified records. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Bochum

Climate and air quality

Monthly precipitation was 74 mm in January and 84 mm in July.

Is the air quality good in Bochum?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein)16

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

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 Bochum is 8.0 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 mean25 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Bochum Dorstener Straße)14Official · nearest-station reading
PM10 — annual mean12 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein)15Official · nearest-station reading
PM2.5 — annual mean8 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein)16Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 5.1 · Feb 6.1 · Mar 10 · Apr 14.5 · May 18.2 · Jun 21.1 · Jul 23.5 · Aug 23 · Sep 19 · Oct 14.2 · Nov 9.1 · Dec 5.7 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Essen-Bredeney34Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 0.6 · Feb 0.8 · Mar 3.1 · Apr 5.9 · May 9.2 · Jun 12 · Jul 14.3 · Aug 14.2 · Sep 11.3 · Oct 7.9 · Nov 4.3 · Dec 1.6 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Essen-Bredeney34Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.1 · Feb 3.5 · Mar 6.4 · Apr 10.1 · May 13.9 · Jun 16.9 · Jul 18.9 · Aug 18.3 · Sep 14.6 · Oct 10.7 · Nov 6.7 · Dec 3.8 °C31 Dec 1991DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (temperature)13Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 74 · Feb 65 · Mar 59 · Apr 44 · May 61 · Jun 74 · Jul 84 · Aug 83 · Sep 74 · Oct 71 · Nov 71 · Dec 81 mm31 Dec 1991DWD multi-annual station means 1991-2020 (precipitation)11Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 52 · Feb 71 · Mar 121 · Apr 171 · May 197 · Jun 194 · Jul 202 · Aug 193 · Sep 145 · Oct 105 · Nov 57 · Dec 42 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

Similar climate. In Germany: Bremerhaven ±0.7 °C. Elsewhere: Antwerp (Belgium) ±0.6 °C, Reims (France) ±1.2 °C, Ghent (Belgium) ±0.7 °C, Leuven (Belgium) ±0.6 °C, Saanich (Canada) ±1.3 °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 Bochum?

The published population was 375,625 people in 2025. Source: Stadt Bochum population press release30

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents554 cars/1000 residents1 Jan 2026Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality20Official
City area145.7 km²31 Dec 2022Stadt Bochum budget data29Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context
Foreign-resident share15.4 %31 Dec 2024Eurostat17Official
Foreign residents50,525 people15 May 2022Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities36Official
Population density2,462 people/km²31 Dec 2024Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row.24Official
Female residents180,442 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder36Official
Male residents173,844 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder36Official
Population375,625 people31 Dec 2025Stadt Bochum population press release30Official
Population covered by crime statistics358,676 people31 Dec 2025BKA PKS Bevölkerungsdaten (04-KR-BV-insg, Quelle Statistisches Bundesamt)4Official
Population over time14 published observations, 2012–2025

Population rose 3.6% between 2012 and 2025, from 362,585 to 375,625.

Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2016–2025

Foreign residents rose 42.6% between 2016 and 2025, from 39,463 to 56,271.

People and communities

MetricValuePeriodSource
Catholic residents95,140 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
Catholic share26.9 %31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
No religion or other167,456 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
No religion or other, share47.3 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)9Official
Protestant residents91,691 people31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official
Protestant share25.9 %31 Dec 2022Destatis9Official

International community in Bochum

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
Total354,288100.0%
Germany279,43278.9%
Poland15,3814.3%
Turkey9,5322.7%
Syrian Arab Republic9,1562.6%
Russian Federation3,1000.9%
Iran, Islamic Republic of2,2420.6%
Ukraine2,0830.6%
Romania2,0010.6%
Kazakhstan1,8360.5%
Iraq1,8340.5%
Show 152 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Serbia1,3720.4%
Morocco1,3270.4%
Italy1,3220.4%
Kosovo1,2610.4%
Afghanistan1,0570.3%
Bulgaria9490.3%
Bosnia and Herzegovina8680.2%
Greece8670.2%
China8540.2%
India8210.2%
Lebanon7990.2%
Not stated6910.2%
Spain6090.2%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of5930.2%
Czech Republic5380.2%
Viet Nam5090.1%
Croatia4970.1%
France4960.1%
Pakistan4630.1%
Sri Lanka4290.1%
Netherlands4080.1%
Cameroon4080.1%
Ghana4020.1%
Albania3870.1%
Austria3860.1%
Korea, Republic of3350.1%
United Kingdom3230.1%
Tunisia3210.1%
Guinea3130.1%
Nigeria3020.1%
United States3010.1%
Brazil2900.1%
Egypt2860.1%
Hungary2800.1%
Thailand2590.1%
Portugal2430.1%
Philippines2320.1%
Moldova, Republic of2190.1%
Uzbekistan2050.1%
Lithuania2010.1%
Belarus1900.1%
Switzerland1720.0%
Algeria1650.0%
Jordan1650.0%
Georgia1510.0%
Azerbaijan1480.0%
Palestinian territories1340.0%
Kyrgyzstan1320.0%
Belgium1260.0%
Tajikistan1240.0%
Latvia1140.0%
Bangladesh1140.0%
Slovakia1130.0%
Armenia1110.0%
Slovenia1100.0%
Eritrea1040.0%
Saudi Arabia1040.0%
Colombia1030.0%
Indonesia1000.0%
Israel990.0%
Somalia970.0%
Libya920.0%
Chile890.0%
Montenegro880.0%
Mexico790.0%
Argentina740.0%
Japan730.0%
Sweden700.0%
Canada700.0%
United Arab Emirates700.0%
Dominican Republic670.0%
Taiwan, Province of China630.0%
Angola610.0%
Peru580.0%
Yemen550.0%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of540.0%
Mongolia540.0%
Finland530.0%
Luxembourg520.0%
Cyprus520.0%
Congo, the Democratic Republic of the520.0%
South Africa520.0%
Kuwait520.0%
Togo510.0%
Ireland500.0%
Australia500.0%
Denmark490.0%
Nepal470.0%
Estonia460.0%
Cuba460.0%
Côte D'Ivoire400.0%
Gambia390.0%
Kenya390.0%
Ethiopia380.0%
Sudan370.0%
Senegal300.0%
Norway270.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of270.0%
Malaysia270.0%
Liberia240.0%
Mali230.0%
Paraguay220.0%
Ecuador210.0%
Cambodia190.0%
Turkmenistan190.0%
Madagascar170.0%
Mauritius160.0%
Rwanda160.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of160.0%
Mauritania150.0%
Congo150.0%
Sierra Leone150.0%
Zimbabwe140.0%
Malta130.0%
Uganda130.0%
Benin120.0%
Costa Rica120.0%
Mozambique110.0%
Namibia110.0%
Uruguay110.0%
Oman110.0%
New Zealand110.0%
Niger100.0%
Burundi100.0%
Lao People'S Democratic Republic100.0%
Honduras90.0%
Jamaica90.0%
Myanmar80.0%
Qatar80.0%
Singapore80.0%
Burkina Faso70.0%
Chad70.0%
Guatemala60.0%
Nicaragua60.0%
Suriname60.0%
Bahrain60.0%
El Salvador50.0%
Haiti50.0%
Gabon40.0%
Zambia40.0%
Guinea-Bissau40.0%
Korea, Democratic People'S Republic of40.0%
Papua New Guinea40.0%
Iceland30.0%
Lesotho30.0%
Seychelles30.0%
Equatorial Guinea30.0%
Swaziland30.0%
Barbados30.0%
Trinidad and Tobago30.0%
Timor-Leste30.0%
Vanuatu30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source32

Citizenship

Persons · 2022-05-15

Published groupPeopleShare
Total354,288100.0%
Germany303,76185.7%
Syrian Arab Republic10,0102.8%
Turkey7,6842.2%
Poland3,1860.9%
Romania1,9230.5%
Italy1,6600.5%
Ukraine1,5980.5%
Iraq1,4130.4%
Serbia1,3630.4%
Iran, Islamic Republic of1,2010.3%
Show 140 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Kosovo1,0840.3%
Greece9970.3%
Bulgaria9520.3%
Russian Federation9360.3%
Bosnia and Herzegovina8180.2%
Afghanistan7810.2%
China7440.2%
Morocco7220.2%
India6950.2%
Croatia6630.2%
Spain6520.2%
Uncertain6030.2%
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of6000.2%
Netherlands5110.1%
Lebanon4610.1%
Viet Nam4120.1%
Nigeria3720.1%
Albania3530.1%
France3470.1%
Ghana3460.1%
Guinea3250.1%
Portugal3240.1%
Pakistan3240.1%
Korea, Republic of2970.1%
Cameroon2900.1%
Austria2820.1%
Tunisia2450.1%
Egypt2410.1%
Hungary2250.1%
Sri Lanka2100.1%
United States1960.1%
Thailand1790.1%
United Kingdom1550.0%
Brazil1510.0%
Lithuania1500.0%
Kazakhstan1480.0%
Azerbaijan1400.0%
Belarus1340.0%
Jordan1310.0%
Eritrea1200.0%
Somalia1200.0%
Stateless1130.0%
Armenia1110.0%
Belgium1100.0%
Bangladesh1060.0%
Switzerland1020.0%
Montenegro1000.0%
Georgia1000.0%
Tajikistan920.0%
Slovakia790.0%
Latvia760.0%
Sweden710.0%
Algeria700.0%
Philippines700.0%
Uzbekistan700.0%
Czech Republic660.0%
Colombia660.0%
Indonesia650.0%
Israel590.0%
Japan590.0%
Moldova, Republic of580.0%
Slovenia510.0%
Mongolia510.0%
Canada490.0%
Palestinian territories480.0%
Mexico470.0%
Libya460.0%
Ireland450.0%
Cyprus450.0%
Taiwan, Province of China410.0%
Angola400.0%
Togo400.0%
Sudan390.0%
Luxembourg380.0%
Yemen380.0%
Nepal370.0%
Chile350.0%
Congo, the Democratic Republic of the340.0%
Dominican Republic340.0%
Peru330.0%
Kyrgyzstan310.0%
Gambia290.0%
Norway280.0%
Finland250.0%
Argentina240.0%
Malaysia240.0%
Cuba230.0%
Côte D'Ivoire190.0%
Kenya190.0%
Denmark170.0%
Mali160.0%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of160.0%
Sierra Leone140.0%
Ecuador140.0%
Ethiopia130.0%
Rwanda130.0%
Senegal130.0%
Australia130.0%
South Africa120.0%
Madagascar110.0%
Tanzania, United Republic of110.0%
Saudi Arabia110.0%
Benin100.0%
Mauritius100.0%
Mozambique100.0%
Not stated100.0%
Estonia90.0%
Uganda80.0%
Uruguay80.0%
Myanmar80.0%
New Zealand80.0%
Mauritania70.0%
Namibia70.0%
Zimbabwe60.0%
Niger60.0%
Guinea-Bissau60.0%
Bolivia, Plurinational State of60.0%
Honduras60.0%
Congo50.0%
Burkina Faso50.0%
Burundi50.0%
Bahrain50.0%
Iceland40.0%
Costa Rica40.0%
Turkmenistan40.0%
Gabon30.0%
Malawi30.0%
Zambia30.0%
Swaziland30.0%
Barbados30.0%
Guyana30.0%
Jamaica30.0%
Paraguay30.0%
China (Hong Kong)30.0%
Qatar30.0%
Kuwait30.0%
Lao People'S Democratic Republic30.0%
Oman30.0%
Singapore30.0%
Papua New Guinea30.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source31

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Owner-occupied homes28.49 %31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder37Official
Labour force182,300 people31 Dec 2022Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder33Official
Local business-tax multiplier495 %31 Dec 2022www.statistikportal.de35Official
Local property-tax multiplier645 %31 Dec 2022www.statistikportal.de35Official

Alternatives for people set on Bochum

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.

Wuppertal as a Bochum alternative in the same region

24 km away, better on 2 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 4.

  • Foreign residents: 22.3% Wuppertal vs 15.4% Bochum+45%
  • Empty flats: 4.3% Wuppertal vs 3.6% Bochum+19%
  • Hospital beds, per 100k: 597.6 Wuppertal vs 731.1 Bochum−18%
  • Median gross pay, city: €4,104 Wuppertal vs €4,360 Bochum−6%
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,900 Wuppertal vs €4,150 Bochum−6%
  • Rent: €6.10/m² Wuppertal vs €6.25/m² Bochumsame level
  • Unemployment: 9.3% Wuppertal vs 9.0% Bochum+3%
Full comparisonMore about Wuppertal

Mannheim as a Bochum alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 239 km, better on 4 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Rent cannot be compared like for like.

  • Foreign residents: 27.3% Mannheim vs 15.4% Bochum+77%
  • Rent: €9.09/m² (2024) Mannheim vs €6.25/m² (2022) Bochumno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 3.8 km Mannheim vs 27.4 km Bochum−86%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 9,954 Mannheim vs 8,381 Bochum+19%
  • Empty flats: 4.5% Mannheim vs 3.6% Bochum+26%
  • Unemployment: 7.6% Mannheim vs 9.0% Bochum−16%
  • Basic utilities, 85 m²: €259 Mannheim vs €203 Bochum+28%
Full comparisonMore about Mannheim

Valencia as a Bochum alternative in another country

A move, not a commute, at 1459 km, better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Rent and median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

  • Rent: €8.20/m² (2024) Valencia vs €6.25/m² (2022) Bochumno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 9.2 km Valencia vs 27.4 km Bochum−66%
  • Median gross pay, region: €1,888 Valencia vs €4,150 Bochumno percentage
  • Foreign residents: 15.7% Valencia vs 15.4% Bochumsame level
Full comparisonMore about Valencia

Alternatives with a better balance

same official-source families, comparable grain — left of gross salary after the same fixed costs
Bochum€3,194this cityStuttgart€3,901+€707Brunswick€3,782+€588Mainz€3,509+€315Mannheim€3,412+€218Karlsruhe€3,185−€9

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

Cities near Bochum

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

Hattingen Commuting Zone · 9.6 km away
Rent
6.22 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Castrop-Rauxel Commuting Zone · 10.1 km away
Rent
5.92 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Sprockhövel Commuting Zone · 13.7 km away
Rent
6.35 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Herten Commuting Zone · 14.2 km away
Rent
5.71 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Wetter (Ruhr) Commuting Zone · 16.4 km away
Rent
5.78 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15
Herdecke Commuting Zone · 17.6 km away
Rent
6.16 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2022-05-15

Alternative cities in Germany

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

All Germany cities
Wuppertal364,609 residentsBielefeld343,507 residentsBonn338,224 residentsMannheim329,998 residentsMünster319,295 residentsAugsburg308,407 residents

How does Bochum compare?

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Open the full comparison

Bochum in rankings

#15 of 30 in Highest salary cities in Germany #16 of 30 in Largest cities in Germany

Put Bochum'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 Bochum expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €1,166 against a median gross salary of €4,360, leaving about €3,194 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 Bochum?

The published population was 375,625 people in 2025. Source: Stadt Bochum population press release.

How much does it cost to rent in Bochum?

Average net cold rent is 6.25 EUR/m² per month (May 2022), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 438 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen.

Is the air quality good in Bochum?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein).

How safe is Bochum?

Police recorded 8,381 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 Bochum?

The median gross salary is about 4,360 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 Bochum?

The unemployment rate is 9 % (2024). Source: Arbeitslosenquoten — Länder, Kreise und Gemeinden, Gesamt, 2024 annual average.

Is Bochum a good place to live?

Bochum 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 Bochum?

Wattenscheid, Hattingen, Castrop-Rauxel, Niederwenigern, Sprockhövel are near Bochum. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Germany live in Bochum?

The official country of birth distribution records 279,432 people (78.9%) 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). Bochum, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary [ImmigrationDB compilation; version c7faed2a4b0da4bb33aae8d366edcfea]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bochum/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_bochum-germany-population-cost-of-living-rent-salary_058813c9425f,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Bochum, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {c7faed2a4b0da4bb33aae8d366edcfea},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bochum/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Bochum, Germany: population, cost of living, rent, salary](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/de/bochum/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version c7faed2a4b0da4bb33aae8d366edcfea; 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 Bochum — official office page Agentur für Arbeit Bochum · 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
  10. DWD Climate Data Center — Klimanormal 1991-2020, Jahresmittel Lufttemperatur 2m (1×1 km Raster) DWD Climate Data Center · opendata.dwd.de · checked 2026-06-05
Show 39 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. EEA air quality statistics — DE NO2 annual mean 2024 (station Bochum Dorstener Straße) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  5. EEA air quality statistics — DE PM10 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  6. EEA air quality statistics — DE PM2.5 annual mean 2024 (station Hattingen-Blankenstein) EEA air quality statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-31
  7. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  8. 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
  9. INKAR — Indikatoren und Karten zur Raum- und Stadtentwicklung, district (Kreis) indicator table INKAR · inkar.de · checked 2026-07-16
  10. Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt — FZ 3 vehicle stock by municipality Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt · kba.de · checked 2026-07-14
  11. Krankenhausverzeichnis 2024 statistikportal.de · checked 2026-09-19
  12. oecd.org place coordinates oecd.org · checked 2026-08-28
  13. Official accepted language-service location records bamf-navi.bamf.de · checked 2026-09-15
  14. Official municipality population divided by official municipality area from the same Destatis row. destatis.de · checked 2024-12-31
  15. OpenFlights — routes.dat OpenFlights · raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-07-14
  16. OurAirports — airports.csv OurAirports · davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-07-14
  17. PKS 2024 T01 Grundtabelle - Fälle mit Häufigkeitszahl (HZ) - Städte bka.de · checked 2026-07-16
  18. Sozialversicherungspflichtige Bruttoarbeitsentgelte – Deutschland, West/Ost, Länder und Kreise (Jahreszahlen), Stichtag 31.12.2025 statistik.arbeitsagentur.de · checked 2026-09-19
  19. Stadt Bochum budget data bochum.de · checked 2026-07-14
  20. Stadt Bochum population press release bochum.de · checked 2026-07-14
  21. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany citizenship distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  22. Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder, Germany country of birth distribution ergebnisse.zensus2022.de · checked 2026-08-28
  23. Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) / Statistical Offices of the Länder destatis.de · checked 2026-08-07
  24. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station Essen-Bredeney WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  25. www.statistikportal.de statistikportal.de · checked 2026-08-08
  26. Zensus 2022 regional tables — Germany municipalities Zensus 2022 regional tables · destatis.de · checked 2026-07-26
  27. Zensus 2022: Regionaltabelle Gebäude und Wohnungen destatis.de · checked 2026-09-17
  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. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  35. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  36. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  37. Cost of Living in Bochum. Jun 2026. Prices in Bochum numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  38. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
  39. wohnungsboerse Mietspiegel Bochum wohnungsboerse.net · checked 2026-06-04

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.