Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Ilmenau

For one person, living is cheaper in Boras: $1,862 a month against $2,071 in Ilmenau, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Boras
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Boras Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Ilmenau
Learn more

Ilmenau Living Index

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Boras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,862

/mo nomad

Ilmenau

🇩🇪 Germany

$2,071

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boras and in Ilmenau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boras and in Ilmenau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,862 in Boras versus $2,071 in Ilmenau.

Boras $1,862
Ilmenau $2,071

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Boras versus $2,525 in Ilmenau.

Boras $2,190
Ilmenau $2,525

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Boras versus $2,980 in Ilmenau.

Boras $2,519
Ilmenau $2,980

Living in Boras costs roughly 10% less than in Ilmenau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boras 38% above, Ilmenau 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.85 SEK 127

$10.96 €9.75

17.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 SEK 894

$66.5 €59.2

35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 SEK 97.6

$11.27 €10.02

-12.60%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SEK 42.89

$3.41 €3.04

26.98%

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

$2.12 SEK 21.02

$4.26 €3.79

-50.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 19.33

$7.97 €7.09

-75.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 SEK 67.9

$4.41 €3.92

55.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 SEK 68.8

$4.99 €4.44

39.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 16.06

$1.13 €1.01

43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 SEK 25.34

$2.14 €1.90

19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 29.17

$3.24 €2.88

-9.26%

Eggs

$4.53 SEK 44.88

$3.23 €2.87

40.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 SEK 123

$14.33 €12.75

-13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 SEK 115

$10.24 €9.11

13.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 SEK 153

$17.76 €15.79

-12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 30.72

$2.87 €2.55

8.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 SEK 25.83

$1.40 €1.24

86.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 27.27

$3.50 €3.11

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 34.42

$3.82 €3.40

-9.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SEK 14.43

$2.11 €1.88

-30.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SEK 13.41

$1.36 €1.21

-0.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 21.85

$1.63 €1.45

35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 SEK 13.39

$0.88 €0.78

53.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.49 SEK 64.3

$9.22 €8.20

-29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 SEK 81.6

$6.22 €5.53

32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.65

$1.11 €0.99

60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 16.08

$1.48 €1.32

9.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.66 SEK 36.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 SEK 748

$65.3 €58.1

15.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 SEK 49.83

$5.23 €4.65

-3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 SEK 10.64

$4.21 €3.75

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.70 SEK 403

$43.78 €38.94

-7.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 SEK 17.55

$2.14 €1.90

-17.29%

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

$25.3K SEK 250.5K

$32.3K €28.7K

-21.62%

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

$15.2K SEK 150.9K

$37.8K €33.6K

-59.67%

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

$58.6 SEK 580

$675 €600

-91.32%

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

$28.96 SEK 287

$27.38 €24.36

5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 SEK 393

$34.08 €30.32

16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.24 SEK 339

$48.13 €42.81

-28.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.72 SEK 245

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SEK 147

$13.20 €11.74

12.58%

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

$156 SEK 1,542

$454 €404

-65.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.27 SEK 488

$93.0 €82.8

-47.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 SEK 502

$31.50 €28.02

60.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SEK 778

$121 €107

-34.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SEK 998

$113 €101

-11.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 €419

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 SEK 8,540

$455 €404

89.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 €737

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,412 SEK 23.9K

$3,254 €2,894

-25.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

3.95

21.52%

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

Last update for Boras: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Boras

$862 46.3%

Ilmenau

$455 22% 47.3% $407

Groceries & Markets

Boras

$334 17.9%

Ilmenau

$309 14.9% 7.4% $25

Eating Out

Boras

$249 13.4%

Ilmenau

$243 11.8% 2.1% $5.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boras

$127 6.8%

Ilmenau

$736 35.6% 479% $609

Clothing & Footwear

Boras

$126 6.8%

Ilmenau

$161 7.8% 28.4% $36

Getting Around

Boras

$101 5.4%

Ilmenau

$92 * 4.4% 8.9% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Boras

$64 3.4%

Ilmenau

$75 3.6% 16.5% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Ilmenau pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $90.0 in Boras vs $67.0 in Ilmenau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $309 per month, with Ilmenau cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Boras

🇩🇪 Ilmenau

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

Same time as Boras

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,273

39,000

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Boras Ilmenau 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Boras
Ilmenau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Boras vs Ilmenau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boras is cheaper overall, especially in clothing and leisure. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Ilmenau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,862 per month in Boras versus $2,071 in Ilmenau – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 16% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,862 in Boras versus $2,071 in Ilmenau, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Boras but tight or insufficient in Ilmenau. The gap between the two cities makes Boras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Boras and Ilmenau 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 Boras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.