bezahlbar

Bezahlbar is a German adjective meaning affordable or payable. It describes prices, goods, or services that a typical consumer can purchase without excessive financial strain. The word is formed from the verb zahlen (to pay) with the prefix be- and the suffix -bar, literally “able to be paid.”

Bezahlbar is commonly used in everyday and policy contexts to indicate price levels that fit within a household budget. Phrases such as bezahlbarer Wohnraum, bezahlbare Mieten, bezahlbare Energie, or bezahlbare Gesundheitsversorgung illustrate its application to housing, utilities, and healthcare. It is distinguished from synonyms like teuer (expensive) and billig (cheap, often with a normative connotation). In some contexts, bezahlbar stresses relative affordability across income groups rather than absolute low prices. The noun Bezahlbarkeit expresses the concept itself and is widely used in discussions about economic policy.

In public discourse, affordability is a central criterion for evaluating housing, energy, transport, and social welfare policies. Tools to improve Bezahlbarkeit include price regulation, subsidies, income growth alignment, and measures to expand supply. The term is common in German-language media and politics, where it appears in debates about housing markets, utility costs, and access to essential services.

Translations into English are typically affordable or affordability, depending on context. Related terms include erschwinglich and preiswert, each with distinct nuance: erschwinglich emphasizes attainability, while preiswert implies good value for money. Bezahlbar remains a key concept in discussions of economic accessibility in German-speaking regions.