Life satisfaction is growing among refugees from Ukraine living in Germany. However, it is still significantly below the levels of the general population. This is one of the findings of the latest “Wohlbefinden” (Housing Well-being) monitor published by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). According to the monitor, the average satisfaction level among Ukrainians with temporary protection rose from 5.9 points in 2022 to 6.3 in the summer of 2023. This is significantly below the level of 7.1 points for the population as a whole.
Descendants slightly less satisfied
The survey by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) shows an average life satisfaction rating of 7.1 on a scale of 1 to 10 for Germany. It is equally high among people without a migration background and first-generation immigrants. The descendants of immigrants are slightly below this, with a score of 6.8. Among new immigrants, women report higher satisfaction than men (7.3 versus 7.0). The scores rise significantly with increasing length of stay. The study uses many different data sets, but most of the results refer to the year 2023, according to the authors.
Older people tend to be unhappy
Ukrainian asylum seekers are the largest group in Germany. Their average satisfaction rating is 6.3, significantly higher than immediately after arrival (5.9 in 2022), but still below the overall average. Fifty-one percent are currently dissatisfied with their lives. Older people are struggling the most: among those over 50, the proportion of dissatisfied people is 60 percent. On average, Ukrainian women are more dissatisfied than Ukrainian men, while men under 50 are the most satisfied. The ongoing war and the associated losses and uncertainty are weighing on life satisfaction, even though it is slowly increasing.
German language skills are crucial
Key factors for the satisfaction of Ukrainians are better German language skills, living outside of shared accommodation, employment, and a united family – in other words, when partners and minor children live together in Germany. Where these conditions are met, the values are significantly higher.
Eastern Europeans generally more satisfied
Among immigrants from Eastern Europe, the average satisfaction level is even slightly above average (7.2), while migrants from Asia and Africa are somewhat less satisfied, with a score of 6.9. Overall, the new monitor shows that the proportion of “very satisfied” people in Germany has increased, while the proportion of “less satisfied” people has decreased. The researchers cite the end of coronavirus protection measures, a certain habituation effect to the Ukraine crisis, and the decline in inflation as possible causes.
Study published annually
The BiB.Monitor Wohnbefinden (BiB. Monitor Living Conditions) of the Federal Institute for Population Research measures the life satisfaction of the population in Germany on a scale of 1 to 10 every year and compares the data from various perspectives. The focus in 2025 is on people with a migration background. The study is based on several representative data sets and reports not only average values but also the proportions of “very satisfied” and “less satisfied” people.
See: https://www.bib.bund.de/DE/Presse/Mitteilungen/2025/2025-10-29-BiB-Monitor-Wohlbefinden-2025-Wie-zufrieden-sind-Ein-und-Ausgewanderte.html?
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