Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,640 in Bålsta versus $2,058 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,500 in Bålsta versus $3,193 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,359 in Bålsta versus $4,328 in Gothenburg.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 20% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 22% above, Gothenburg 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 124

$13.74 SEK 128

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 SEK 637

$93.9 SEK 876

-27.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 SEK 88.1

$10.34 SEK 96.5

-8.70%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 38.27

$4.73 SEK 44.18

-13.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SEK 25.92

$2.97 SEK 27.70

-6.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.43

$2.53 SEK 23.64

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 SEK 68.6

$7.26 SEK 67.8

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 SEK 70.1

$7.72 SEK 72.0

-2.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.16

$1.68 SEK 15.67

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 SEK 19.41

$2.85 SEK 26.62

-27.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.36

$3.32 SEK 30.95

14.16%

Eggs

$3.91 SEK 36.51

$4.65 SEK 43.41

-15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$11.80 SEK 110

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 111

$12.61 SEK 118

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 106

$19.02 SEK 178

-40.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.37

$3.10 SEK 28.92

-12.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.76

$2.74 SEK 25.54

-3.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 SEK 22.20

$2.91 SEK 27.11

-18.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.27

$4.18 SEK 38.96

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 14.56

$1.66 SEK 15.50

-6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SEK 12.14

$1.85 SEK 17.25

-29.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$2.27 SEK 21.22

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.68

$1.55 SEK 14.46

-32.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SEK 70.2

$7.82 SEK 73.0

-3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 SEK 101

$15.32 SEK 143

-29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.49

$2.26 SEK 21.08

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.23

$2.61 SEK 24.32

-25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.82

$3.80 SEK 35.45

-10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 681

$88.6 SEK 827

-17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$10.11 SEK 94.3

-38.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.14

$1.66 SEK 15.48

-28.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 SEK 761

$61.7 SEK 576

32.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.05

$1.89 SEK 17.64

2.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.0K SEK 298.3K

$32.0K SEK 298.9K

-0.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.4K SEK 320.8K

$34.5K SEK 321.6K

-0.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$53.1 SEK 495

$138 SEK 1,292

-61.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.82 SEK 194

$24.95 SEK 233

-16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 SEK 344

$38.25 SEK 357

-3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.85 SEK 372

$41.78 SEK 390

-4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.53 SEK 238

$25.26 SEK 236

1.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 126

$17.98 SEK 168

-24.92%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$125 SEK 1,165

$175 SEK 1,637

-28.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$748 SEK 6,978

$4,215 SEK 39.3K

-82.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 SEK 703

$87.6 SEK 817

-14.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.66 SEK 99.5

$40.28 SEK 376

-73.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SEK 789

$96.9 SEK 904

-12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,074

$156 SEK 1,458

-26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,860

$1,125 SEK 10.5K

-25.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,199

$873 SEK 8,148

-23.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.2K

$1,917 SEK 17.9K

-26.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 SEK 10.0K

$1,434 SEK 13.4K

-25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,129 SEK 38.5K

$6,696 SEK 62.5K

-38.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,918 SEK 27.2K

$3,764 SEK 35.1K

-22.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,120 SEK 38.4K

$3,953 SEK 36.9K

4.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-30.72%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $842 in Bålsta and $1,125 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $94.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $381 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bålsta vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bålsta pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $842 in Bålsta versus $1,125 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,640 per month in Bålsta versus $2,058 in Gothenburg – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 21% less than in Gothenburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,640 in Bålsta versus $2,058 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Gothenburg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.