Prices in Germany continuing to cause concern among citizens
Germans' Fears in 2022: Rising Costs Top Concern, According to Survey Monkey
In a recent survey conducted by Survey Monkey and commissioned by the R+V insurance company, the fear of rising living costs, such as food and rent, has emerged as the biggest concern for Germans in 2022. Around 52% of the 2,400 participants aged 14 and over expressed worry about this issue.
The survey, conducted between May and July 2022, asked participants to rate various topics on a scale of one (no fear at all) to seven (very great fear). The ranking reflects the greatest fears, which are those that most frequently receive values of 5 to 7.
The fear of a war involving Germany has remained at the same level, while the fear that housing in Germany will become unaffordable ranks fourth, with 48% of people concerned. The fear of tax increases or cuts in services is the third most significant concern for Germans, with 49% of people worried.
Interestingly, concerns related to migration have notably decreased, despite taking up significant space in political debates this year. In 2025, only 49% of respondents expressed fear of the state being overwhelmed by refugees, down from 56% in 2024. However, it's worth noting that migration concerns in Eastern Germany have not decreased as much as in Western Germany.
Political scientist Isabelle Borucki suggests that a uniform message is not enough for politics, and a nuanced, regionally different approach should be taken when making policy. Borucki noted that the fear of rising living costs persists because it affects people's daily lives deeply. She also stated that the price level remains high despite a significant fall in inflation rate.
The survey results show that women are more worried about rising living costs than men, with 57% of women compared to 47% of men expressing concern. Borucki speculates that women may be more likely to admit to being afraid due to factors such as unequal pay.
Professor Borucki also pointed out that people's perception of international crises, wars, and high prices has changed, but the fear of these issues has decreased slightly compared to last year, except for two: the fear of a war involving Germany and the fear that authoritarian leaders worldwide will become even more powerful. The latter has increased slightly compared to 2024.
Compared to last year, the level of concern has decreased slightly for all fears except for these two. Concerns about tensions caused by foreign immigration also decreased, from 51% in 2024 to 45% in 2025.
The 'Fears of the Germans' survey conducted by Survey Monkey provides valuable insights into the concerns of the German population and can guide policymakers in their decision-making processes. As the economic and political landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these fears develop in the coming years.
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