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Rents for dwellings, 2017:

Rent change is still low, corrected 2017-11-30

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2017-10-26 9.30

The last two years the rent increase has been low. As previous period, the rents increased in average with 0.7 percent between 2016 and 2017.

The highest change in rents during the last ten years was between 2008 and 2009, when the rent increased by 3.3 percent.

At regional level, the increase was more or less the same in every region between 2016 and 2017. Greater Malmö has the highest increase by 0.9 percent. The lowest increase by 0.7 percent was in Greater Stockholm and Other small municipalities outside of the metropolitan areas. Rent rose by 0.8 percent in Greater Gothenburg and Other large municipalities.

Rent change in the last ten years, entire country
YearRent
change
2016/2017 0.7%
2015/2016* 0.7%
2014/2015 1.3%
2013/2014 1.7%
2012/2013 2.2%
2011/2012 2.8%
2010/2011 2.4%
2009/2010 1.6%
2008/2009 3.3%
2007/2008 2.7%

*From year 2015/2016, the number shows the median increase. Previous years shows the mean increase.

Over SEK 6 400 in rent for a three room apartment

The statistics on rents for 2017 show that the median monthly rent for a three room apartment is SEK 6 426. The median rent for a two room apartment is SEK 5 204. Rent for a one room apartment is SEK 3 743, and for apartments with four or more rooms, the median rent is SEK 7 948.

Rents vary from one region to another. For a three room apartment rent differs with about SEK 1 000 between the region with the highest and lowest rents.

Median monthly rents for three room apartments in 2017 by region
 New monthly rent for 2017, SEK
Greater Stockholm
7 069 ± 147
Greater Gotheburg
6 434 ± 196
Greater Malmö
6 816 ± 222
Other larger municipalities 6 348 ± 71
Other smaller municipalities 5 996 ± 62
All of Sweden 6 426 ± 50

The limit between large and small municipalities is 75 000 inhabitants.

Construction year affects rent

Rents vary considerably depending on buildings year of construction. Newly constructed apartments are the most expensive. A three room apartment has a median monthly rent SEK 9 835 in houses constructed in the period 2011 and later and SEK 8 934 in houses constructed in the period between year 2001 and 2010.

It is cheapest to live in houses constructed in the periods from 1941 to 1960 and from 1961 to 1980. The median rent for a three room apartment built in one of these periods is SEK 6 228 and SEK 6 185 respectively. Median rents for apartments in houses built between 1981 and 2000 and before 1941 are slightly higher – SEK 6 944 and SEK 7 137 respectively.

Definitions and explanations

The statistics describe rents and change in rent for rental dwellings. Rents are broken down by region, construction year, number of rooms and by type of ownership. Rents for dwellings is an annual survey based on a national sample of rented dwellings. The sample covers approximately 15 500 dwellings.

The estimated rents include heating costs, but costs for garage and electricity are excluded. 

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

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Statistics Sweden, Urban Management and Tourism

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