Germans' biggest fear is the high cost of living, an annual study finds

People in Germany are more politically engaged than they have been in a long time. This was also evident in the high voter turnout in the September state elections in Saxony-Anhalt , Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania .

Germans are passionately debating immigration, the upcoming reforms to pensions, healthcare and long-term care, as well as democracy and the rule of law.

But by far their greatest fear is the cost of living in Germany , which is becoming increasingly expensive. At least, that is the finding of the 2026 study on " Germans' Fears ," which the insurer R+V presented in Berlin.

From early May through late July of this year, researchers surveyed some 2,400 German-speaking citizens aged 14 and older.

The cost of living is again their top concern, as it has been in the survey for many years in a row. This study has been conducted annually since the early 1990s.

Last year, 52% of those polled cited the rising cost of daily life as their greatest concern; in 2026, that figure has risen to 59%.

At a press conference in Berlin, Isabelle Borucki, a political scientist from Marburg who served as a consultant on the study, explained why.

"The price of key items — energy, housing and food — has risen noticeably. This reduces the financial leeway for leisure, vacations and purchases. People can afford less and less."

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