The salary you need for a first-hand flat in Sweden
For renters building a life in Sweden, the search for a lasting home often begins with a salary calculation.
For someone ready to leave a second-hand rental, a first-hand contract offers the chance of a more settled home. Here is how landlords decide whether your income is enough for the flat you want.
There is no single income test across these landlords. Wallenstam normally requires annual income before tax of at least three times the annual rent. For a flat costing SEK 12,000 a month, that means SEK 36,000 a month before tax.
Stockholm's municipal landlords instead look at the money left after tax and rent. In 2026, a single adult must have SEK 6,243 remaining. At the same rent, that means monthly income after tax of at least SEK 18,243. The figures cannot be compared directly without accounting for tax, but they show how differently landlords assess the same housing cost.
The kind of income also matters. Wallenstam requires a guarantor for fixed-term employment and income secured for at least six months. Stockholm's municipal rules accept several benefits, including unemployment benefit and qualifying income support.
In a 2021 housing report, the Equality Ombudsman warned that high income requirements could disadvantage groups protected by discrimination law. That is a general concern, rather than a finding against either landlord in this comparison.
Wallenstam also allows some applicants who fall up to 20 per cent below its income requirement to use a guarantor. Meeting the financial rules still leaves the other rental conditions and allocation process.
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