The affluent coastal suburb of Limhamn was one of the districts picked out by readers as being the best for foreigners in Malmö to live. But the neighbourhoods of Västra Hamnen, Hyllie, and Möllevången were also favoured by readers.
The outer-lying district of Limhamn, with its sandy beachfront, pleasant town centre and mix of old villas and modern developments, was ranked the best district by several respondents to our survey.
Manjot, a software developer for Ikea, described Limhamn as a "city inside the city", which boasts "old city charm", good schools, and easy access to the sea.
A former fishing village, Limhamn was classed as a separate town until 1915 when the development of a limestone quarry and cement factory led to rapid expansion.
Until fifteen years ago, the area consisted mainly of detached houses and seaside villas – particularly around the Gamla Limhamn areas, but in recent years, it has been host to some of Malmö's biggest new developments.
Chief among these is Limhamns Sjöstad, which has been built on the site of the cement factory which closed in 1978, and Kalkbrottet, built on the edge of the limestone quarry which stopped operating in 1994.
Sindhucharan said Limhamn had "amazing views and restaurants", and had attracted a "diverse community".
A third software engineer said they appreciated the fact that the district was "safe, clean and peaceful".
The main drawback to living in the area, mentioned by the supply chain specialist Güzin Kocak Üren among other respondents, is that it is relatively far from the city centre and is poorly connected by public transport.
Västra Hamnen
Västra Hamnen, the modern development built over the past two decades on the site of Malmö's old shipyard, was also tipped as a great place for foreign residents to live.
Matias, an international scientist employed at a local university, praised it as a "modern area with new buildings and plenty of international people".
Another respondent, who gave the area 10/10, said it was "diverse, beautiful and safe", while other respondents said it was close both to the sea and to Malmö's main station, and also hosted several big supermarkets.
The area's only weakness, mentioned by Lauren, an international teacher based in Malmö, was the poor choice of food and restaurants. "But it's changing!" she said.
Hyllie
With several respondents ranking it as their top choice, the district of Hyllie also featured strongly in our survey, with its supporters choosing it primarily for practical reasons such as its excellent transport connections and shopping opportunities.
"It's got a train station and a shopping mall. It’s relatively modern and safe and it's close to Copenhagen and the airport," summed up Muhammed, a software developer who himself lives in nearby Bunkeflostrand.
Hyllie is the last train station in Sweden before the Öresund Bridge, meaning it is the closest station to both Copenhagen Airport and the Danish capital. It also has frequent trains to Malmö Central, Helsingborg, and Lund.
Malmö's city government has also chosen to place a lot of new attractions in the areas, including Emporia, one of Scandinavia's biggest shopping malls, the Malmö Arena, the Malmö Mässan conference centre, and the Hylliebadet indoor swimming pool.
Patrick, who works in a global corporate office in Hyllie, praised it for being "super well-connected". He also cited the thriving international community and the nearly Malmö International School as good reasons for foreigners to choose the district.
Residents' two chief complaints were that, with nothing but flat land between the city and the sea, it could be extremely windy, and that the pace of development meant there was "too much construction".
Möllevången
Möllevången, an ethnically mixed district that is home to many of Malmö's best bars and restaurants, was the next most popular district to live. Often shortened to 'Möllan', respondents praised it for its diversity, vibrant nightlife, and wide array of international restaurants and shops.
"There is a huge variety of things to do and a lively atmosphere, especially for young people," said Fátima de Arriba, a PhD student based in the city.
Lauren praised it for its Chinese, Arab, and Persian food stores. "It’s where we go for specialty items we can’t get elsewhere," she said.
Other popular areas
Other popular areas included Slottsstaden, Triangeln, Värnhem, Rörsjöstaden, and Gamla Väster.
Slottsstaden, which is sandwiched between three parks – Slottsparken, Pildamsparken, and Ribersborg beach – was "really popular with young families", according to one anonymous respondent.
"There are lots of young families and other Swedish-international families like mine, a strong sense of community, It's close to the city and sea but also very cozy and quiet," they said.
"Triangeln boasts amazing connectivity to everything and everywhere," said another anonymous respondent, who said the downside was the noise. "Protests, loud drivers and fireworks are a near daily nuisance," she said.
One person said they liked Värnhem for being "central" and having "good access" to the rest of Malmö. But de Arriba only gave it five out of ten. "There's very few places to go to take a beer or try something different. Also, not many people passing by frequently, which gives the impression of an empty neighbourhood."
A patent attorney from India, who lived in Gamla Väster, the old district in the very centre of the city, said the location was very convenient, but that "sometimes drunk people can be noisy during the weekends".
Kirseberg won approval from an "Indonesian communications professional" for being "close to everything, family-friendly, and green".
Rosengård, a highly segregated district that is classed as "specially vulnerable" by the police, was recommended by a researcher based in Malmö, who claimed to be a resident, for its "friendly neighbours".
Thanks to readers who took part in the survey. If you missed it then share your own views on the best parts of Malmö in the comments section below.
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