Rental Report 2020
Based on first-hand contracts from 200+ landlords we monitor.
7 082
Avg rent SEK/mo
+10.8%
Compared to 2019
The pandemic closed offices, emptied classrooms and drove students out of Stockholm. But rents rose anyway. The average rent among the landlords we monitor increased 10.8% to SEK 7,082 per month. The housing shortage proved immune to economic disruption.
Remote work temporarily eased pressure on the inner city. Some left Stockholm entirely. But the underlying housing shortage was so deep that rents kept climbing. Boverket reported continued deficit in 24 of 26 municipalities. Bostadsformedlingen's queue grew further.
This report documents the pandemic's effect on the first-hand contract market. Despite a global crisis, rents rose faster than in any of the following three years.
Key insights of the year
+10.8%
Rent increase despite pandemic
From SEK 6,393 to SEK 7,082/month. The housing shortage was so severe that not even the pandemic could slow rents.
120 SEK/m²
Price per square metre
Up from SEK 107/m² in 2019. Price per area rose 12% in a single year.
57%
Small apartments
Share of one- and two-bedrooms in listings. Marginally higher than 56% in the baseline year.
2019 vs 2020
| Metric | 2019 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg rent | 6 393 kr | 7 082 kr | ↑ +10.8% |
| kr/m² | 107 kr | 120 kr | ↑ +12.1% |
| Median days | – | – | – |
| Small apts % | 56% | 57% | ↑ +1.8% |
| 1 room | 4 226 kr | 4 841 kr | ↑ +14.6% |
| 2 rooms | 6 250 kr | 6 830 kr | ↑ +9.3% |
| 3 rooms | 7 274 kr | 8 068 kr | ↑ +10.9% |
| 4 rooms | 10 058 kr | 9 917 kr | ↓ -1.4% |
Average rents
The average rent in the Stockholm region rose to SEK 7,082/month in 2020. A one-bedroom costs SEK 4,841 on average. A two-bedroom is SEK 6,830, a three-bedroom SEK 8,068, and a four-bedroom SEK 9,917.
1 rooms
4 841
2 rooms
6 830
3 rooms
8 068
4 rooms
9 917
5 rooms
11 469
The 10.8% increase shows Stockholm's housing shortage was so severe that not even the pandemic could push rents down. SCB shows remote work reduced inner-city demand temporarily, but overall pressure on the rental market persisted. The bruksvärdessystem regulates primary rents, but the sublet market set its own prices.
“The housing shortage persists in 24 of 26 municipalities in Stockholm county despite the pandemic.”
— Boverket Housing Market Survey 2020
Source: HomeSpotter market data, SCB rental statistics 2020
Our data vs national average
Rent increase among the landlords we monitor compared to SCB's national figure.
SCB Hyresstatistik 2025
A two-bedroom in Stockholm now costs SEK 6,830 per month. That is SEK 580 more than the 2019 baseline. The pandemic did not slow rents.
HomeSpotter market data 2020
Pandemic impact
Rents rose 10.8% compared to 2019. Despite the pandemic, the housing shortage continued to push rents up. Remote work reduced demand for inner-city apartments temporarily, but overall pressure persisted. Many students left Stockholm.
Boverket reports that new construction slowed during the pandemic. Riksbanken cut rates and introduced support purchases. Bostadsförmedlingen noted that queue times for primary contracts continued to rise. Hyresgästföreningen flagged the risk of landlords raising rents sharply post-pandemic.
Source: HomeSpotter market data, Boverket, Riksbanken 2020
Area spotlights
Tumba stands out with a 23% rent increase from the baseline year. Average rent for a two-bedroom rose from SEK 6,029 to SEK 7,417. Despite the pandemic, demand grew in the southern commuter train municipalities.
Märsta in the north rose 9.8% during the pandemic year. The commuter train connection to the city makes it attractive despite the distance. Rent for a two-bedroom lands just under SEK 7,000.
Fittja is the cheapest in the region with an average rent of SEK 4,520 per month. The Million Programme housing stock keeps rents low. The metro takes you to T-Centralen in 25 minutes.
Area expansion
Coverage increased from 50 to 79 areas during 2020. More suburbs and surrounding municipalities were added. The expansion provides broader data on the rental market outside the city centre.
+11% sedan 2019
SL metro and commuter trains connect the new areas to central Stockholm. Million Programme suburbs show stable rents despite the pandemic. Stockholmshem and Svenska Bostäder kept rents unchanged in their properties. SCB confirms that municipal housing companies had the least price movement.
Source: HomeSpotter market data 2020
The housing shortage persists in 24 of 26 municipalities in Stockholm county. New construction slowed during the pandemic.
Boverket Housing Market Survey 2020
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Turnover speed
HomeSpotter began tracking listing durations in 2023. Reliable speed data is not available for 2020.
The pandemic affected mobility in the rental market. Many students left Stockholm during 2020, temporarily dampening demand. The sublet market offered more options than usual during the pandemic year.
Source: HomeSpotter market data 2020
34
2023
6
2025
Median listing time dropped from 34 to 6 days in two years.
Remote work emptied the inner city temporarily. But total demand on the rental market persisted. Bostadsformedlingen's queue grew.
HomeSpotter market data 2020
Apartment mix
Three-bedrooms dominate at 34% of listings. Two-bedrooms make up 33%, one-bedrooms 23%, and four-bedrooms 8%. The share of four-bedrooms increased compared to 2019, possibly because more large apartments entered the sublet market during the pandemic.
Boverket notes that families leaving Stockholm freed up larger apartments. SCB shows single-person households decreased temporarily. Hyresgästföreningen reports the primary market was unaffected by the pandemic's size shift.
Source: HomeSpotter market data, SCB population statistics 2020
80%
2024
69%
2025
The share of small apartments (1-2 rooms) dropped from 80% to 69%.
Price per square metre
The average rent per square metre among the landlords we monitor is SEK 120 in 2020.
+12% sedan 2019
Since 2019, the price per square metre has increased from SEK 107 to SEK 120. That is a 12% increase among the landlords we monitor.
Källa: HomeSpotter marknadsdata 2020
Apartment mix
In 2020, 1-2 room apartments make up 57% of all listings among the landlords we monitor.
The share of small apartments has gone from 56% (2019) to 57% (2020) among the landlords we monitor.
Källa: HomeSpotter marknadsdata 2020
Seasonal patterns
The most apartments were listed in October among the landlords we monitor.
The seasonal pattern shows when it is easiest and hardest to find an apartment. More listings mean greater supply and better negotiation opportunities.
Källa: HomeSpotter marknadsdata 2020
What does this mean?
Apartment seekers
Rents rose 10.8% despite the pandemic. Temporary opportunities exist in the inner city. Always compare with utility value levels.
Landlords
Demand persisted during the pandemic. The housing shortage is so deep the market absorbed the disruption. Rental income grew steadily.
Policy makers
The pandemic revealed the depth of the housing shortage. Rents rose 10.8% during a global crisis. New construction slowed further.
The 2020 pandemic was a stress test for Stockholm's rental market. The result was unequivocal: the housing shortage is so deep that not even a global crisis can lower rents. Average rent rose 10.8%. Price per square metre increased 12%.
In 2021, students and young adults would return. Riksbanken kept its low rate. Condo prices began surging. Everything pointed to continued upward pressure on the rental market.
The average rent in Stockholm rose to SEK 7,082/month in 2020. A one-bedroom costs SEK 4,841, a two-bedroom SEK 6,830, a three-bedroom SEK 8,068, and a four-bedroom SEK 9,917. Rents rose 10.8% from 2019 despite the pandemic.
Stockholm's housing shortage was so severe that rents continued to rise despite the pandemic. Remote work made inner-city locations temporarily less attractive, but overall pressure on the rental market persisted. Average rent rose 10.8%.
The share of four-bedrooms rose to 8% of listings, up from 6% in 2019. More large apartments entered the market. Three- and two-bedrooms remained most common at 34% and 33%. One-bedrooms decreased slightly to 23%.
HomeSpotter increased coverage from 50 to 79 areas during 2020. More suburbs and surrounding municipalities were added for broader market data. SL metro and commuter trains connect all monitored areas.
Alla områden
| Area | Avg rent | SEK/m² | Median days | Most common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fittja | 4,520 | 92 | – | 2 rooms |
| Sundbyberg | 4,730 | 144 | – | 1 rooms |
| Eriksberg | 5,296 | 83 | – | 2 rooms |
| Norsborg | 5,385 | 89 | – | 2 rooms |
| Storvreten | 5,606 | 103 | – | 3 rooms |
| Hässelby | 5,781 | 113 | – | 1 rooms |
| Albydalen | 5,822 | 88 | – | 3 rooms |
| Segersjö | 5,837 | 108 | – | 2 rooms |
| Häggvik | 5,853 | 103 | – | 2 rooms |
| Tuna | 5,911 | 116 | – | 1 rooms |
| Vårsta/Bremora | 5,966 | 93 | – | 2 rooms |
| Villastaden | 6,222 | 105 | – | 2 rooms |
| Rotsunda | 6,338 | 103 | – | 2 rooms |
| Edsberg | 6,382 | 122 | – | 1 rooms |
| Sigtuna | 6,473 | 108 | – | 2 rooms |
| Rotebro | 6,533 | 102 | – | 3 rooms |
| Rinkebysvängen 83 | 6,767 | 128 | – | 3 rooms |
| Rinkebysvängen 77 | 6,767 | 128 | – | 3 rooms |
| Högdalen | 7,039 | 125 | – | 2 rooms |
| Valsta | 7,260 | 119 | – | 3 rooms |
| Tullinge | 7,317 | 125 | – | 2 rooms |
| Hagsätra | 7,337 | 134 | – | 3 rooms |
| Gamla Staden 211 29 | 7,378 | 172 | – | 1 rooms |
| Tureberg | 7,383 | 131 | – | 2 rooms |
| Rågsved | 7,396 | 121 | – | 3 rooms |
| Tumba | 7,417 | 148 | – | 1 rooms |
| Danderyd | 7,544 | 122 | – | 2 rooms |
| Tensta | 7,634 | 116 | – | 3 rooms |
| Snösätra | 7,713 | 112 | – | 2 rooms |
| Märsta | 7,718 | 127 | – | 3 rooms |
| Järfälla | 7,868 | 129 | – | 2 rooms |
| Nynäshamn | 8,025 | 129 | – | 4 rooms |
| Ösmo | 8,230 | 122 | – | 3 rooms |
| Bro | 8,729 | 142 | – | 4 rooms |
| Steningehöjden | 8,866 | 138 | – | 3 rooms |
| Sollentuna | 8,901 | 165 | – | 2 rooms |
| Vårby | 8,980 | 139 | – | 3 rooms |
| Täby | 9,738 | 185 | – | 3 rooms |
| Sköndal | 9,863 | 194 | – | 2 rooms |
| Västerhaninge | 11,033 | 147 | – | 3 rooms |
| Hagastaden | 12,841 | 240 | – | 2 rooms |
Data is based on first-hand contracts from landlords that HomeSpotter monitors in the Stockholm region. Statistics cover first-hand contracts published during the calendar year 2020. 79 areas were included in the monitoring.
HomeSpotter continuously monitors Stockholm's rental market to provide a clear picture of the first-hand contract market.
Data collection
We monitor 200+ landlords in the Stockholm region around the clock and log new listings automatically.
Processing
Raw data is cleaned, filtered, and aggregated. Duplicates and erroneous entries are removed.
Publication
The report is published annually. Live editions are updated quarterly with new data.
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