Temporary Housing in Sweden While You Search

Two to four weeks of temporary housing in Stockholm will cost you 15,000–25,000 SEK. That is a lot of money — and it is also often the right call, because expats who rush permanent decisions from abroad or out of desperation consistently end up in worse apartments on worse terms. The bridge period is an investment in making a better long-term choice.

Here is a realistic look at your temporary housing options, with honest pricing and the trade-offs that matter.

Why a Bridge Period Often Makes Sense

There is a tempting logic to finding a permanent apartment before you arrive. The problem is that doing so from abroad means you cannot view apartments in person, you cannot build the relationships that sometimes tip a competitive application, and you are more vulnerable to scams because desperation makes you a target.

Arriving with two to four weeks of temporary accommodation sorted — and then searching aggressively from within Sweden — often leads to a better long-term outcome than rushing a permanent commitment from a distance. It also gives you time to understand which neighborhoods you actually want to live in, rather than picking one based on a map.

That said, temporary accommodation is expensive. Budget accordingly and treat it as a real cost of the move, not a surprise.

Your Options

Airbnb and Short-Term Rentals

The most flexible option and usually the easiest to book from abroad. In Sweden, Airbnb is legal for short-term rentals (typically under three months), and availability in major cities is generally good.

Realistic costs in Stockholm (2026):

• Shared room: 6,000–9,000 SEK/month
• Private studio: 11,000–18,000 SEK/month
• 1-bedroom apartment: 14,000–22,000 SEK/month

Gothenburg and Malmö run roughly 20–30% cheaper than Stockholm for equivalent options.

Airbnb works well for the first two to four weeks. The longer you stay, the less financially sensible it becomes relative to alternatives. Most hosts will negotiate a discount for stays over three weeks — ask directly.

Practical note: in Sweden, Airbnb hosts are required to have approval to sublet if they're renting their primary home. The platform is generally compliant with Swedish law, but verify you have a proper receipt and booking confirmation in case of disputes.

Hostels and Student Accommodation

If you are on a tight budget and tolerate shared spaces, hostels in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö offer reasonable quality at lower cost. Expect to pay 4,000–6,000 SEK/month for a hostel bed in a shared dorm.

Private rooms in hostels run 7,000–10,000 SEK/month and are a workable option for a few weeks. They are not comfortable for two months. The lack of a kitchen and a workspace will make your search harder and your life worse.

Student accommodation (studentboende) is generally not available to non-students, though some providers have short-term vacancy listings in summer. Worth checking SSSB (Stockholm's Student Housing) and Studentbostäder if you are a student.

Corporate and Serviced Apartments

If your employer is funding your relocation, push for corporate housing as part of the package. This is standard practice for international transfers, and many Swedish employers have preferred providers they can activate quickly.

Corporate and serviced apartments in Stockholm typically cost 15,000–25,000 SEK/month for a studio or one-bedroom, furnished and with utilities included. That sounds high, but they usually include internet, weekly cleaning, and the flexibility to leave with short notice. If your employer is paying, the cost is irrelevant to you. If you are paying yourself, they are rarely the right choice unless you are there for a defined, short window.

Qasa and BostadsPortal Short-Term Listings

Both Qasa and BostadsPortal have listings for short-term rentals — apartments available for one to three months at a time. These are genuine andrahand contracts, shorter than typical, often listed because the primary tenant is traveling for a few months.

The advantage over Airbnb: you get a real apartment, often furnished, at prices closer to the long-term market (though with a premium of 15–30% for the flexibility). Competition for these listings is real — they attract people in exactly your situation.

If you find a short-term listing on one of these platforms while also looking for a long-term apartment, it is worth applying even if the timing is slightly off. A two-month bridge at near-market rates is significantly cheaper than two months of Airbnb.

Blocket Bostad Short-Term

Blocket Bostad, the housing section of Sweden's largest classifieds site, has a separate filter for short-term rentals. The listings here are less curated than the dedicated platforms, so due diligence matters more — always meet (or video call) the person before transferring any money, and never pay a deposit before you have seen a signed contract. See our advice on common mistakes to avoid for the full red-flag checklist.

That said, Blocket does surface genuine short-term options that don't appear on the dedicated platforms, especially in smaller cities and suburban areas.

Staying with Contacts

If you know anyone in Sweden — colleagues, friends, former university contacts — and they have the space, this is obviously the lowest-cost option. It is also socially complicated if extended beyond two weeks. Be honest with yourself about this option's realistic duration and plan your exit before you arrive.

Realistic Total Budget for 1–3 Months

Here is a budget range for the bridge period in Stockholm, depending on your choices:

Duration	Airbnb (studio)	Short-term listing	Hostel (private)
1 month	14,000–18,000 SEK	10,000–14,000 SEK	7,000–10,000 SEK
2 months	28,000–36,000 SEK	20,000–28,000 SEK	14,000–20,000 SEK
3 months	42,000–54,000 SEK	30,000–42,000 SEK	21,000–30,000 SEK

Add living costs on top: groceries, transport, and incidentals typically run 6,000–9,000 SEK/month in Stockholm for a single person eating mostly at home.

Reduce by roughly 25% for Gothenburg and Malmö. Increase by 20–30% if you need a furnished two-bedroom (e.g., arriving as a couple or with a child).

Using Temporary Housing Strategically

The risk in a bridge period is rushing. You are spending 15,000 SEK a month on temporary accommodation and it feels urgent to stop the bleeding. That urgency is exactly when people sign bad long-term contracts.

A few principles to hold onto:

Set a real deadline, not a "should be done" deadline. Tell yourself you have six weeks to find a permanent apartment. That is a real constraint that motivates action without creating panic-driven decisions.

Use the time to view apartments in person. This is the structural advantage of being in-country. Stockholm neighborhoods feel very different from each other. Södermalm, Kungsholmen, Vasastan, Lidingö — visiting in person before committing to a specific area can save you 12 months of living somewhere that does not suit you.

Do not sign a long-term contract on an apartment you would not have accepted if you had more time. If the apartment has problems you are rationalizing away because you are tired of searching, those problems will still be there in month three.

Keep your search wide initially. The urge to target one perfect neighborhood and ignore the rest reduces your options dramatically. Start with a 15-minute transport radius from your workplace or key anchor point and narrow from there.

For context on what a long-term andrahand contract should include and what to check before signing, see our andrahand guide.

Use the bridge period to view apartments in person, narrow down your target neighborhoods, and build your application package. That preparation makes your permanent search faster and sharper — and the best apartments go to applicants who are ready to move quickly.