Renting an office in Stockholm usually takes longer than you expect. For most companies, three to twelve months pass between the first search and moving in, depending on size and how much the space needs to be rebuilt. This guide walks you step by step through finding and renting office space in Stockholm: how the market works, where the available offices are, how to compare options and what to negotiate.
How the Stockholm office market works
Stockholm is Sweden's largest office market. According to Cushman & Wakefield's MarketBeat for the second quarter of 2026, Greater Stockholm has about 12.5 million sqm of offices, of which about 1.8 million sqm is in the CBD. Overall vacancy was 18.5 percent: 8 percent in the CBD, 14 percent in the rest of the inner city and 23 percent in outer areas.
For you as a tenant this means two things. In the city core supply is limited and the best spaces are often let before they are advertised. Outside the CBD there are plenty of available offices and therefore room to negotiate.
Most offices are owned by property companies, from large listed companies and pension funds to smaller private owners. Many available spaces are never widely advertised but are let directly by the landlord's leasing team or through contacts.
Step 1: Start with your needs
Before you look at a single space, decide what the office has to handle:
- Workstations: How many people are in at the same time, not how many are employed?
- Spaces: Meeting rooms, focus rooms, kitchen, reception, storage.
- Timeline: When does your current lease end, and what is the last day to give notice? For commercial premises the notice period is normally nine months.
- Budget: Total annual cost including supplements, not just SEK/sqm.
- Type of agreement: Your own lease for three to five years, or a flexible office with a shorter commitment?
Our checklist for renting an office covers needs analysis, notice periods and lease terms in detail.
Step 2: Choose an area
Location drives both the rent and how easily your people get to work. Broadly, Stockholm divides into:
- City and Östermalm (CBD): Highest rents, best transport links, prestigious.
- Rest of the inner city: Södermalm, Kungsholmen, Vasastan and Hagastaden. Central but often cheaper than the CBD.
- Inner suburbs and office clusters: Solna, Sundbyberg, Kista, Hammarby Sjöstad. Lower rents, modern buildings, good public transport to certain hubs.
Look at where your people live and which commuter rail, metro and light rail lines serve the area. Each district is described in more detail in our guide to office districts in Stockholm.
Step 3: Set a realistic budget
Rent levels vary a lot between submarkets. According to Cushman & Wakefield (Q2 2026), prime rents are around SEK 9,850/sqm/year in the CBD, SEK 6,200 in the rest of the inner city and SEK 4,100 in outer areas. Add heating and electricity if the rent is a cold rent, property tax, any VAT and indexation.
A detailed breakdown with worked examples is in our article on what it costs to rent an office in Stockholm.
Step 4: Find available offices in Stockholm
There are four main routes to available office space in Stockholm:
- Directly from landlords. The large property companies have their own leasing teams and often list available space on their websites. Useful if you already know the area or building you want, but you only see one company's portfolio at a time.
- Listing portals. A broad overview of advertised space, but far from all supply is advertised and the same space may stay listed for a long time.
- Tenant advisers and brokers. For larger requirements, an adviser representing the tenant can handle the search and negotiation. Usually a cost to you, and mainly aimed at larger spaces.
- Matching. You describe what you need and receive a selection of suitable spaces, including ones that are not advertised. This is how Shace works: we search the whole market and send a handpicked shortlist within 24 hours.
Feel free to combine routes, but keep track of which spaces you have already been shown and by whom.
Step 5: Viewings and comparison
Book viewings of three to five spaces that meet the basic requirements. At the viewing, look closely at:
- Layout: How much of the area is actually usable? How many meeting rooms fit?
- Light, sound and ventilation: Visit at different times of day if you can.
- The building: Entrance, lifts, bike storage, changing rooms, shared areas and environmental certification.
- The surroundings: Lunch places, gyms, services and how the walk from the station feels.
Then compare the options on total annual cost per workstation, not on price per square metre.
Step 6: Negotiate and sign
Once you have chosen a space, ask for a draft lease and negotiate:
- Rent and any rent-free months. Outside the CBD there is often room.
- Tenant fit-out: What the landlord builds and who pays.
- Lease term, renewal and notice period.
- Index clause: How the rent is raised each year.
- Security: Deposit, bank guarantee or guarantee.
- Security of tenure: If you are asked to waive it, understand what that means.
How long does it take to rent an office in Stockholm?
An approximate timeline:
| Situation | From start to move-in |
|---|---|
| Serviced office or ready space without building work | A few weeks to 3 months |
| Smaller office with simple fit-out | 3–6 months |
| Larger office with tenant fit-out | 6–12 months |
| Large headquarters or new build | 12–24 months or more |
Since the notice period for commercial premises is normally nine months, start searching at least nine to twelve months before your current lease ends. If you are unsure whether you need your own office at all, read our comparison of flexible offices and traditional leases.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you find available offices in Stockholm?
Through landlords' own leasing teams, listing portals, tenant advisers or a matching service like Shace. Many centrally located spaces are never widely advertised, so it pays not to rely on portals alone.
How much does it cost to rent an office in Stockholm?
According to Cushman & Wakefield (Q2 2026), prime rents are around SEK 9,850/sqm/year in the CBD, SEK 6,200 in the rest of the inner city and SEK 4,100 in outer areas. Supplements for heating, electricity, property tax and VAT often come on top.
How far in advance should you start looking for an office?
At least nine to twelve months before your current lease ends, since the notice period for commercial premises is normally nine months. For larger offices with building work, start earlier.
Can you rent a small office in Stockholm?
Yes. For a handful of people, a serviced office, coworking or a room in a shared office is often simplest. Smaller self-contained spaces are mainly found in the inner city and in older buildings.
Let us find the office for you
Shace searches the whole Stockholm office market, sends a handpicked shortlist within 24 hours and helps with viewings and the lease. Tell us what you need and we will match you with the right office.