Best areas to live in Malmö for expats

Moving to Malmö? We compared all 91 neighbourhoods on safety, schools and transport using official Swedish data — police crime reports, Statistics Sweden (SCB) and the National Agency for Education (Skolverket).

Short answer: For safety, look at Västra hamnen väst, Ön norr and Östra Sorgenfri syd. For families, Västra hamnen väst and Västervång-Fridhem combine good schools, preschools and low crime. For a car-free life, Hyllievång syd and Västra hamnen sydöst have the best public transport and services nearby.

Safest neighbourhoods in Malmö

Ranked by reported crime relative to the number of people who live, work and spend time there.

Best neighbourhoods for families in Malmö

Weighs school quality, preschools, safety, services and the share of children.

Best-connected neighbourhoods in Malmö

Weighs nearby public transport stops, distance to the nearest stop, and shops and services.

#NeighbourhoodTransport
1Hyllievång syd89
2Västra hamnen sydöst85
3Kirseberg syd85
4Augustenborg84
5Värnhem-Västra Sorgenfri83

Scores run from 0 to 100, where higher is better. Data: Swedish Police (reported crime 2024–2025), SCB, Skolverket and OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

Is Malmö safe?

Malmö has an average safety index of 56 out of 100 across its neighbourhoods (Average), where higher is safer. 72% of residents feel safe outdoors after dark (municipal citizen survey, 2025). The Swedish Police list 4 areas in Malmö as vulnerable. Safety varies a lot between neighbourhoods, so compare the areas above.

Which area in Malmö is best for families?

Västra hamnen väst has the highest family score (79 out of 100), followed by Västervång-Fridhem and Gamla Limhamn. The score weighs school quality, preschools, safety, services and the share of children.