Costs & budget
Money shapes the start. Here are the costs, with real figures, and where you can borrow.
Starting a pizzeria usually costs SEK 300,000 to 1.5 million. The biggest cost is the premises and kitchen. The cheapest route is taking over a ready-made pizzeria. Keep money left over for launch too, ideally at least three months of rent and wages.
This is what costs money
Every pizzeria is different, but the cost items are almost always the same:
- Premises: deposit and first rent payment, often SEK 50,000 to 150,000
- Renovation and finishes: SEK 0 to 500,000 depending on condition
- Pizza oven: SEK 30,000 to 150,000
- Fridges, freezer, dough mixer, counters: SEK 50,000 to 150,000
- Cash register and ordering system: SEK 10,000 to 30,000
- Signs, menu, boxes, first ingredients: SEK 30,000 to 60,000
- Cash buffer: at least SEK 100,000
Take over an old pizzeria and save hundreds of thousands
A place that has already been a pizzeria often comes with an oven, extractor system and floor drains. That is the most expensive part of the kitchen. Always ask why the previous owner stopped. Bad pizza can be fixed. A bad location usually cannot.
- Extractor and ventilation alone can cost SEK 200,000 to build from scratch
- A used oven and used refrigeration can cost half as much as new
- Check that the equipment works before you sign anything
How to work out if the numbers hold
Do a simple calculation before you start. If the pizza sells for SEK 120 and the ingredients cost SEK 30, that leaves SEK 90 for rent, wages, electricity and VAT. How many pizzas per day do you need to sell? Work that out first.
- Ingredients should cost no more than 25 to 30% of the pizza price
- Rent should be no more than 10% of what you sell
- 50 to 100 pizzas sold a day is normal for a standard pizzeria
Where you can get funding
Most people borrow for the start. Three common routes:
Almi
State-backedA state-backed business lender. They often lend when the bank says no and also offer free advice.
Go to pageYour bank
Bank loanSEB, Swedbank, Handelsbanken or your local bank. The bank wants to see a simple plan with numbers. Book a meeting early.
Go to pageQred
FastOnline business loans with a quick decision. More expensive than a bank, but useful for smaller amounts or when time is tight.
Go to pageAlways start at verksamt.se, the government's own site for people starting a business. Free and clear.
Common questions
Can I start a pizzeria with SEK 100,000?
It is hard, but not impossible. You would need to take over a small ready-made premises with an oven, work yourself and start with takeaway. Most people need more capital.
What does it cost to run a pizzeria each month?
Expect rent of SEK 15,000 to 40,000, ingredients at 25 to 30 percent of sales, electricity at around SEK 5,000 to 10,000 and wages on top. A small pizzeria with two employees often costs SEK 150,000 to 250,000 a month to run.
Do I need a business plan?
The bank and Almi will want to see one, but it does not need to be long. One page is often enough: what you sell, where, at what prices and how much you need to borrow.
What does it cost to buy an existing pizzeria?
Often SEK 300,000 to 2 million. The price mostly depends on how much it sells and how good the location is. Always ask to see the accounts from the last two years before you decide.
Got the money under control? Sort the rules next.
Permits and registration are simpler than many think, but they need to be done in the right order.