Operating Costs: What is included and what you pay when renting

Operating Costs: What is included and what you pay when renting

Operating costs (driftskostnad) are the ongoing costs of living in a home, on top of the rent. What you pay yourself depends on the rental agreement. Under the Land Code (jordabalken), the rent for a residential apartment must be set as a fixed amount in the agreement, but the law makes exceptions for certain costs for heating, hot water, electricity, and water and sewage. Always check the agreement for what is included before you sign.

What are operating costs in a rental apartment?

In practice, operating costs are the ongoing costs that belong to the home. In a rental apartment they usually mean heating, hot water, electricity, water and sewage, and insurance. Some of these are included in the rent, others you pay separately. What the rental agreement says applies, so read the cost items carefully before you accept.

What does the Land Code say about rent and operating costs?

The main rule in the Land Code, chapter 12, section 19, is that the rent for a residential apartment must be a fixed amount set in the rental agreement, or in a negotiated agreement if the contract has a negotiation clause. The rule does not apply to compensation for costs of heating, cooling, hot water, or electricity, or to charges for water and sewage, in three cases:

• the contract has a negotiation clause and the basis for the compensation has been set through a negotiated agreement or a decision under the Rent Negotiation Act (hyresförhandlingslagen),
• the apartment is in a one- or two-family house or in a condominium property,
• for water and sewage, when the charge is levied after individual metering.

If none of these situations applies, the costs for heating, hot water, electricity and water must also be a fixed amount in the agreement. Source: https://lagen.nu/1970:994

Private letting: a separate law

If you rent from a private individual, also check the Private Letting Act (privatuthyrningslagen, 2026:772). The law entered into force on 1 July 2026 and replaced the Act (2012:978) on letting one's own home. It states that costs for heating, cooling, hot water or electricity, and charges for water and sewage, must be paid in an amount that corresponds to the cost of the consumption. Source: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-2026772-om-andring-i_sfs-2026-772/

What do operating costs cost in practice?

The Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) reports the following costs for living in one's own home. The figures are calculations, not amounts that apply to your particular apartment:

• Household electricity: 400 SEK per month. Source: https://www.konsumentverket.se/ekonomi/flytta-eller-bo-hemma-kostnad/
• Water and sewage: 220 SEK per month. Source: https://www.konsumentverket.se/ekonomi/flytta-eller-bo-hemma-kostnad/
• Home insurance: 150 SEK per month. Source: https://www.konsumentverket.se/ekonomi/flytta-eller-bo-hemma-kostnad/

The Consumer Agency states that electricity for heating and ventilation is not included in household electricity, so you need a separate answer for that cost. It also states that the home insurance calculation applies to households living in a rental apartment and includes legal expenses protection, travel insurance, liability insurance and all-risk cover. Source: https://www.konsumentverket.se/ekonomi/vilka-kostnader-har-ett-hushall/

Home insurance in your budget

Home insurance (hemförsäkring) is an ongoing cost that you arrange and pay yourself. The Consumer Agency's 150 SEK per month is a guideline. Compare the terms, especially liability insurance and legal expenses protection, since those are the parts the Consumer Agency's calculation is based on.

Checklist before you sign

1. Heating: Is heating included in the rent, or do you pay based on metering? Is this stated in the agreement?
2. Water and sewage: Is it a fixed charge or a charge based on individual metering?
3. Electricity: Do you have your own contract, or does the landlord bill the electricity? Remember that household electricity does not include electricity for heating and ventilation.
4. Home insurance: What does it cover, and what does it cost?
5. The agreement: Check that the costs are written in the rental agreement, not only in the advertisement.

Summary

Operating costs are part of the cost of living that is easy to forget when you compare rents. Add up the rent together with electricity, water, sewage and insurance. Then read the agreement to see what is a fixed amount and what is paid according to consumption. That difference decides your monthly budget.