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: $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,128 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,567 in Bålsta versus $3,175 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,507 in Bålsta versus $4,222 in Gothenburg.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 24% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Gothenburg 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.20 SEK 136

$13.76 SEK 132

3.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 SEK 652

$91.9 SEK 879

-25.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 SEK 87.3

$12.84 SEK 123

-28.97%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SEK 41.34

$5.06 SEK 48.44

-14.62%

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

$2.79 SEK 26.66

$2.94 SEK 28.14

-5.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 21.90

$2.19 SEK 20.94

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 SEK 69.4

$7.18 SEK 68.7

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 70.4

$7.86 SEK 75.2

-6.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 14.83

$1.80 SEK 17.19

-13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 SEK 19.62

$2.77 SEK 26.50

-25.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 35.43

$3.17 SEK 30.28

16.72%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 36.41

$4.10 SEK 39.18

-7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 112

$12.10 SEK 116

-3.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 SEK 120

$11.67 SEK 112

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 SEK 110

$17.76 SEK 170

-35.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.74

$3.23 SEK 30.88

-16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 SEK 26.79

$2.64 SEK 25.25

6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 20.54

$3.22 SEK 30.79

-33.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.38

$4.37 SEK 41.82

-32.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.75

$1.82 SEK 17.41

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SEK 12.24

$1.68 SEK 16.02

-23.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 SEK 15.50

$2.03 SEK 19.38

-20.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 10.24

$1.78 SEK 17.01

-39.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 69.6

$8.50 SEK 81.3

-14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.58 SEK 101

$14.55 SEK 139

-27.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.84

$2.20 SEK 21.02

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.86

$2.38 SEK 22.76

-12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 SEK 33.16

$3.85 SEK 36.81

-9.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 SEK 767

$88.8 SEK 849

-9.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 SEK 57.8

$6.45 SEK 61.7

-6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.34

$1.73 SEK 16.50

-7.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.0 SEK 794

$61.3 SEK 586

35.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.65

$1.90 SEK 18.22

-3.16%

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

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

$34.0K SEK 324.8K

4.19%

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

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

$34.4K SEK 328.6K

-0.24%

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

$53.6 SEK 513

$110 SEK 1,052

-51.26%

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

$21.09 SEK 202

$19.66 SEK 188

7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.49 SEK 397

$36.30 SEK 347

14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.72 SEK 380

$37.94 SEK 363

4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.61 SEK 255

$25.89 SEK 248

2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SEK 129

$19.34 SEK 185

-30.20%

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

$127 SEK 1,213

$230 SEK 2,196

-44.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

$4,554 SEK 43.6K

14.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 SEK 700

$91.0 SEK 870

-19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.59 SEK 101

$34.36 SEK 329

-69.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SEK 804

$94.0 SEK 900

-10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,103

$135 SEK 1,294

-14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 SEK 8,185

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

-19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SEK 5,992

$961 SEK 9,192

-34.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

$1,849 SEK 17.7K

-24.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

$1,440 SEK 13.8K

-25.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

$6,496 SEK 62.1K

-35.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

$3,613 SEK 34.6K

-18.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

$3,639 SEK 34.8K

11.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

-1.96%

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

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Bålsta and $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 12% 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 $92.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $372 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 31% 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.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Bålsta, 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: $856 in Bålsta versus $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,626 per month in Bålsta versus $2,128 in Gothenburg – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 11% less than in Gothenburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,128 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 $1,626 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 31% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.