Copenhagen ($348/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) and Stockholm ($770/sqft, 10.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Copenhagen on rent and tax and Stockholm on talent depth.
Copenhagen ($348/sqft, 7.6% vacancy) and Stockholm ($770/sqft, 10.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Copenhagen on rent and tax and Stockholm on talent depth.
| Metric | Copenhagen | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EMEA | EMEA |
| Country | Denmark | Sweden |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $348 | $770 |
| Class A rent (local) | 2400 DKK | 8200 SEK |
| Vacancy | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Trend | flat | flat |
| Prime yield | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $720 | $720 |
| Submarkets covered | 5 | 5 |
| Corporate tax | 22% | 20.6% |
| Metric | Copenhagen | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 5 yrs | 5 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 4 mos | 4 mos |
| Lease norms | Net leases. 5-7 year terms with break options. Free rent of 3-6 months and TI of DKK 800-1,500/sqm typical on a 5-year deal. | Net leases. 5-7 year terms standard. Free rent of 3-6 months and TI of SEK 1,500-2,500/sqm typical on a 5-year Class A deal. |
| Tax note | 22% Danish corporate income tax. R&D tax credit available. Denmark has a structural participation exemption for cross-border dividends and capital gains. Joint Danish-Swedish payroll tax considerations apply for cross-Øresund staff. | 20.6% Swedish corporate income tax. R&D tax credit available. Sweden has a structural participation exemption for cross-border dividends and capital gains. |
| Metric | Copenhagen | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 85 | 87 |
| Talent note | Deep pharma, shipping, design, and clean tech talent. Strong feed from University of Copenhagen, DTU, and Copenhagen Business School. English-fluent professional base supports international corporate HQs. | Deepest tech and gaming talent pool in the Nordics. Strong feed from KTH, Stockholm University, and the Stockholm School of Economics. English-fluent professional base supports international corporate HQs. |
Copenhagen: Metro M1-M4 (M3 City Circle Line opened 2019), S-tog suburban rail, and bus. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is connected via Metro M2 (~14 minutes to Nørreport). Copenhagen is highly bicycle-friendly.
Stockholm: SL Tunnelbana (3 main lines), Roslagsbanan, commuter rail (Pendeltåg). Arlanda Express to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (~20 minutes). Stockholm is highly walkable and Tunnelbana-served.
Copenhagen is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
Stockholm has the deeper talent index (87/100 vs 85/100).
Stockholm has the lower headline corporate tax (20.6% vs 22%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Copenhagen typical term is 5 years with 4 months free; Stockholm runs 5 years with 4 months free.
Copenhagen: Metro M1-M4 (M3 City Circle Line opened 2019), S-tog suburban rail, and bus. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is connected via Metro M2 (~14 minutes to Nørreport). Copenhagen is highly bicycle-friendly. Stockholm: SL Tunnelbana (3 main lines), Roslagsbanan, commuter rail (Pendeltåg). Arlanda Express to Stockholm Arlanda Airport (~20 minutes). Stockholm is highly walkable and Tunnelbana-served.
Score Copenhagen, Stockholm and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.