The Real Cost of Renting in Sweden

For a mid-range Stockholm apartment at 13,000 SEK/month, your total first-month outlay — deposit, first month's rent, insurance, and basic furnishing — is typically 42,000–65,000 SEK. Most expats arriving for the first time are not prepared for this, and financial pressure in that first month is exactly when people sign bad contracts. Here is what to expect, with realistic numbers.

Move-in costs: what you pay before you unpack

Deposit

Deposits on andrahand (second-hand sublet) apartments typically run one to three months' rent. Unlike some countries, Sweden has no legal cap on deposits for andrahand contracts — the one-to-three-month convention is just that, a convention. In Stockholm's competitive market, two months is common.

On a 12,000 kr/month apartment, that means 12,000–36,000 kr upfront before you've bought a single piece of furniture.

First month's rent in advance

Most landlords collect the first month's rent at signing, separate from the deposit. Combined with the deposit, you're often looking at three to four months' rent as the entry cost.

Platform fees

If you find your apartment through Qasa or Samtrygg, be aware of how their fee structures work.

Qasa takes a service fee from tenants for facilitated contracts — this is typically a one-time fee around 1,500–2,500 kr, though the exact amount depends on the contract value and whether the landlord is using their payment infrastructure.

Samtrygg operates differently: their fee is usually embedded in a slightly higher rent rather than charged directly to the tenant, but the economic effect is the same.

Direct listings (Facebook groups, Blocket) carry no platform fees but also no dispute resolution or verification layer. The tradeoff is real — see our rental scams guide for why that extra friction from platforms has value.

Monthly running costs beyond rent

Hemförsäkring (home insurance)

This is not optional in practice, even if the contract doesn't explicitly require it. Most landlords in Sweden require proof of hemförsäkring before handing over keys, and even those who don't require it should make you want it anyway — it covers theft, water damage, and liability.

Cost: 150–300 kr/month for a standard policy from Folksam, IF, or Länsförsäkringar. A one-bedroom apartment in Stockholm typically lands around 200 kr/month. Paying annually instead of monthly saves roughly 10%.

You can get a policy without a personnummer (personal identity number) using a samordningsnummer or, with some insurers, just a passport and a Swedish address. Get this sorted before you sign — you may need to show the certificate at key handover.

Electricity

This is where budgets get derailed, especially for expats moving from warmer climates.

If electricity is not included in your rent (always check the contract — see our full contract guide):

• Summer months (May–September): 300–700 kr/month for a one-bedroom
• Winter months (November–February): 800–2,000 kr/month or more

The spread is enormous because Swedish heating is electricity-heavy in many apartments, and electricity prices fluctuate with the Nordic spot market. District heating (fjärrvärme) is far cheaper and more predictable — if your apartment has it, that's usually included in the rent.

To avoid bill shock, ask the landlord what the previous tenant's average monthly electricity cost was. They should be able to provide this.

Internet

Most modern Stockholm apartment buildings have a fiber infrastructure with a building-wide contract through Telia, Bahnhof, or Telenor. If your landlord has this included in the building's operating costs, internet may be included in your rent at no extra charge.

If not, a standalone broadband subscription runs 300–400 kr/month for 100–500 Mbit/s. Installation in an existing fiber building usually takes a few days and costs nothing; in buildings without existing infrastructure, you're unlikely to get fiber quickly anyway.

TV license: the persistent myth

You do not pay a TV license in Sweden. The old Radiotjänst fee was abolished on 1 January 2024 and replaced by a public media fee (allmän mediefift) collected through the tax system — you pay it automatically if you pay income tax. There is no separate registration, no letter you need to respond to, and no bill to track. Ignore any advice telling you otherwise.

The furnished vs. unfurnished calculation

Furnished apartments

Furnished andrahand apartments typically cost 1,000–3,000 kr/month more than equivalent unfurnished ones. Over a 12-month stay, that's 12,000–36,000 kr extra in rent.

What you get in return: zero IKEA trips, no assembly weekends, no storage costs when you leave, and the ability to move in with a suitcase.

Unfurnished apartments: the real startup cost

If you take an unfurnished apartment, a realistic IKEA budget for a one-bedroom from scratch:

Category	Approximate cost (SEK)
Bed + mattress	4,000–8,000
Sofa	3,000–8,000
Dining table + chairs	2,000–5,000
Kitchen basics (pots, cutlery, etc.)	1,500–3,000
Storage (wardrobe, shelving)	2,000–5,000
Lighting	1,000–2,000
Linens, towels, basics	1,500–2,500
Total	15,000–33,500

This is why furnished apartments — despite the rent premium — often make financial sense for stays under two years. The crossover point depends on your specific numbers, but for most expats on 12–18 month contracts, furnished wins.

Realistic monthly budget examples

The table below assumes a one-bedroom apartment (40–55 m²) and a single occupant. Rent figures reflect the andrahand market in early 2026.

Cost item	Stockholm	Mid-size city (Göteborg/Malmö)	Smaller city
Rent	12,000–16,000 kr	8,000–11,000 kr	6,000–8,000 kr
Electricity (winter avg)	700 kr	700 kr	700 kr
Internet	0–350 kr	0–350 kr	0–350 kr
Hemförsäkring	200 kr	175 kr	150 kr
Monthly total	12,900–17,250 kr	8,875–12,225 kr	6,850–9,200 kr

Stockholm figures assume electricity not included in rent (common in older buildings) and internet not included (conservative assumption). Many newer apartments include both, which meaningfully reduces the real total.

For context on what you get at these price points in Stockholm, our Stockholm neighborhoods guide breaks down which areas offer what balance of price and accessibility.

What the total first-month bill looks like

Using a mid-range Stockholm example at 13,000 kr/month rent, two-month deposit:

Item	Amount (SEK)
Deposit (2 months)	26,000
First month's rent	13,000
Hemförsäkring (annual, paid upfront)	2,000
Qasa platform fee (if applicable)	1,500–2,500
IKEA startup (unfurnished, mid-range)	20,000
Total first-month outlay (unfurnished)	~62,500–64,500
Total first-month outlay (furnished)	~42,500–44,500

These numbers are not designed to alarm you — they're designed to help you plan. Expats who arrive underprepared for these costs end up accepting worse apartments or worse contract terms out of financial pressure.

The practical implication for your search

Knowing your real budget changes how you search. If your monthly budget is 14,000 kr all-in, you're probably looking at apartments advertised at 11,000–12,000 kr to leave room for utilities and insurance. If you need a furnished apartment, the premium is worth modeling against your IKEA alternative before you decide it's too expensive.

Understanding what you are actually signing up for financially is the first step. The second is finding the right apartment before someone else does — Expatriate tracks listings across all five major platforms and sends alerts the moment something matching your criteria appears.

If you haven't worked out the identification side of things yet — what you can rent without a personnummer and what you can't — that's worth reading before you apply to anything: renting without a personnummer.