Cologne's office market is booming: area sales surpassed by 39%in the previous year!

Cologne's office market is booming: area sales surpassed by 39%in the previous year!

In the first half of 2025, the Cologne office rental market increased vigorously and reached an area sales of 107,500 m², which corresponds to a plus of 39 percent compared to the previous year. According to konii this is a gratifying development, especially since the first quarter with 70,000 m² has a significant part in it. Nevertheless, it is pointed out that both the five- and ten-year funds could not be fully achieved, and the forecast for the year as a whole amounts to around 220,000 m².

The big rentals that enliven the market are particularly exciting. The Job Center Cologne moves into Vitalisstrasse, while the “Düxx” company settles on Siegburger Strasse. The modern “Dom Quartier” in the city center can also score with a rental area of 4,200 m² through St. Oberholz, which indicates growing demand in central locations.

The distribution of inquiries

The most sought -after locations are the city with 31,400 m², followed by Ehrenfeld/Braunsfeld, where 29,300 m² were auctioned. Public administration leads the activity, a total of 32,100 m², which is mainly due to the rentals of the job center. Company -related service providers now also rent 18,500 m² and thus show that there is also movement in this sector.

Despite this upswing, the general demand remains cautious. There are economic and political challenges that affect the decision -making processes. Users often bring the desire for maximum flexibility, short rental times and modern, sustainable rooms that are equipped with air conditioning systems and e-charging stations. This could mean that the lack of central areas and the low construction activity are difficult for companies.

market situation and rental prices

The vacancy rate has recently increased by 110 basis points and is now 4.6 percent. However, Cologne can continue to refer to one of the lowest vacancy rates among real estate strongholds in this country. The top rent remains constant at 32.50 euros/m², which also represents the lowest value compared to other cities, while the maximum rent is still 35.00 euros/m².

The figures also show that over 50 percent of the area turnover on the Cologne City is no longer necessary. The western city has a good position with a market share of over 36 percent, strongly driven by the rental of the job center. The north of Cologne secures about 8 percent of the market share. However, the current market development is characterized by a structural lack of new construction areas, which affects growth.

A look into the future shows that the market activity has last increased in the segment below 1,000 m². A cautious estimate suggests that economic growth in 2026 was corrected to 1.5 percent, which could possibly have an impact on the office market. However, short-term impulses remain rare, since decision-making processes often progress slowly, as well as

Overall, the Cologne office market remains stable, but not spectacular. The current economic situation, coupled with a lack of new construction measures, gives hope for balancing the markets so that good business can be made in the future.