Working in Copenhagen, Living in Malmö: Is It Possible? [2026 Updated]

If you’re planning to move to Copenhagen, you might find yourself asking: “Can I work in Copenhagen but live in Malmö?”.

Any true fan of Nordic Noir will know about the close proximity of Copenhagen and Malmö. The two cities, and thus Denmark and Sweden, are separated by a bridge that you may know as ‘The Bridge’. The rest of us call it the Øresund Bridge, though.

For those moving to Copenhagen, Malmö might also pose itself as an attractive place to live. After all, it’s only around 30 kilometers away from the Danish capital. And of course, there’s the adventurous idea of living in one country and working in another.

While it is possible to live in Malmö and work in Copenhagen, different rules apply to different nationalities. You should also consider the pros and cons, plus other practicalities. We’ll cover all of these today.

Before we begin:

Please note that I am making this guide for general guidance. I am not a legal advisor and cannot help you with specific permit questions. If you need further assistance, please contact the Danish/Swedish immigration authorities and a qualified legal advisor.

Why Might You Want to Commute From Malmö to Copenhagen?

Perhaps the number one reason for many considering commuting from Southern Sweden to Denmark is the lower cost of living. As the capital of one of Europe’s most expensive countries, it’s unsurprisingly quite pricey to rent or buy an apartment in Copenhagen. While Malmö is still relatively expensive, it’s not as pricey as Sweden’s two biggest cities: Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Another reason why some people choose to live in Malmö but work in Copenhagen is for more of a small-town feel. Malmö is Sweden’s third-biggest city, with a population of just over 350,000. Copenhagen is over double its size.

While Copenhagen is by no means overwhelming, some people may still prefer to live in a smaller city. Malmö offers that as one option.

How Does Tax Work if You Live in Malmö but Work in Copenhagen?

In most cases, you will pay tax in Denmark if you work in Copenhagen.

If you live in Malmö but work in Copenhagen, you are potentially eligible for certain tax deductions—up to a certain annual amount. You can read more about that here.

Can I Legally Live in Malmö but Work in Copenhagen?

If you’re a Nordic citizen, you can freely work in Copenhagen but live in Malmö. So, a Swede wanting to commute to Denmark would have no problems—as both countries are in the Nordic Passport Union.

You’ll also find it easier to live in Malmö but work in Copenhagen if you have an EU or EEA passport; if you do, you can freely live or work in either Sweden or Denmark without a residence permit. However, you’ll still need to register with the local authorities.

Things might be more complicated if you’re a Swiss citizen. While Switzerland isn’t in the EU or EEA, it is in the Schengen Area and does have freedom of movement agreements. You can live in Denmark without a residence permit (but you will need a residence certificate). If you wish to live in Sweden for more than 90 days, you’ll need a residence permit—though the rules you must follow are typically less stringent than citizens outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.

Non-EU citizens, including Brits from 2021 onwards, will have a harder time living in Malmö but working in Copenhagen.

One potential option is to apply for a work permit in Denmark via the Pay Limit Scheme. This permit is for people who receive a job in Denmark that’s considered to have a high salary, and the amount is adjusted on January 1st every year. For 2026, the minimum yearly salary for a Pay Limit Scheme visa is 552,000 DKK per year (c. $85,000).

You might also be able to get a permit in Denmark if you receive a job offer in a field with a labour shortage. The Positive List for Skilled Work is available here.

Note that your permit MUST allow you to both work in Denmark and live in Sweden. You can find more general rules about this on the Øresundsdirekt website.

The Pros of Living in Malmö and Working in Copenhagen

Frequent Train Services

On weekdays, trains between the two cities typically run every 20 minutes or so. So, you shouldn’t have to wait too long on your daily commute each day.

Before making the decision to move, it’s worth visiting Copenhagen and Malmö on the same weekend. You can try staying in Malmö but commuting to Copenhagen to get an idea of what your daily journey would be like. Here’s a three-day itinerary for a trip to Malmö to get you started with your planning.

The Opportunity to Learn Two Foreign Languages

You’ll be living in a country where Danish is spoken while living somewhere where you’ll need to learn Swedish. The good news is that both are closely related and not too challenging to learn for native English speakers.

You could indeed get by with just English, but a) that’s boring, and b) you’ll struggle to integrate if you don’t make an effort.

High Quality of Life

Accommodation and groceries are typically less expensive in Malmö than in Copenhagen. Moreover, salaries in the Danish capital are usually higher than in Malmö.

The Cons of Living in Malmö and Working in Copenhagen

A Longer Commute

When factoring in the commuting time between Malmö and Copenhagen, you need to consider more than just the actual journey time. There are sometimes checks at the Swedish border, and while the Øresundståg is usually punctual, you should factor potential delays into your journey time. For example, on a day trip to Malmö in May 2023, my train was delayed by over two hours (a rare occurrence, but it’s still quite annoying).

In the future, it might become much easier to commute between Malmö and Copenhagen. The idea of creating a metro line between the Danish capital and Malmö has been discussed, and the journey time would take 20 minutes instead of the current 40-60 minutes. However, nothing has yet materialised.

Having to Technically Settle Into Two Countries at the Same Time

Two different ways of life, two languages, having to find your feet in two different cities – the list goes on. If you don’t already know anyone, you might find that you feel isolated.

More Paperwork

Moving to a new country can be mentally challenging if you hate bureaucracy. The potential paperwork required to move to two at the same time—especially if you’re not an EU/EEA/Nordic citizen—can be especially burdensome.

The Cost of Public Transport

While apartment prices are generally cheaper in Malmö than in Copenhagen, you must factor public transport costs into the mix. For a 30-day commuter pass that also includes the Copenhagen Metro, you’ll pay 2,670 SEK (c. $288). Students can enjoy discounted passes, but that still costs 1,735.50 SEK ($190).

Banking

Although Denmark and Sweden are both in the EU, neither uses the Euro. So, you should ensure that your bank allows you to get paid in Danish Kroner. It’s also important that you keep exchange rates and fees that you might pay on these in mind.

At the time of updating this in 2026, the Swedish Krona has been quite weak against the Danish Krone for a while. This may work in your favour for now, but things can always change in the future.

Living in Malmö and Working in Copenhagen Is Possible, but You Need to Consider Multiple Factors

Living in Malmö and working in Copenhagen is something that many people do daily, and cross-border commuting can make every day an adventure. However, you must consider the possible drawbacks as well—such as higher transport costs and possible delays.

It’s also important to ensure that you’re legally allowed to live in one country or work in the other. If you meet the criteria, it might be worth giving a try.