Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Ilmenau Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Ilmenau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,958 in Boras versus $2,134 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Boras versus $3,121 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,619 in Boras versus $4,109 in Ilmenau.

Living in Boras costs roughly 8% less than in Ilmenau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Boras 47% above, Ilmenau 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.83 SEK 124

$14.85 €12.98

-13.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 SEK 700

$70.0 €61.2

3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 SEK 102

$8.32 €7.27

27.76%

Cappuccino

$4.37 SEK 42.07

$3.50 €3.05

24.86%

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

$2.22 SEK 21.43

$3.59 €3.13

-38.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.92

$2.80 €2.45

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 SEK 78.5

$4.56 €3.98

78.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 71.5

$3.44 €3.00

115.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 16.12

$1.01 €0.88

65.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 20.74

$1.13 €0.99

90.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.54

$3.21 €2.80

-4.36%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 43.16

$3.68 €3.22

21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 126

$14.57 €12.73

-10.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 SEK 111

$13.33 €11.64

-13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 SEK 162

$18.71 €16.35

-9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 25.79

$2.88 €2.52

-6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.69

$1.47 €1.29

88.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.16

$2.65 €2.31

6.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.30

$4.89 €4.27

-22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.85

$0.84 €0.74

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.56

$1.58 €1.38

2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SEK 13.62

$1.80 €1.57

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.45

$0.95 €0.83

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 SEK 79.3

$9.59 €8.38

-14.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 SEK 90.6

$6.43 €5.62

46.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.56

$0.99 €0.87

105.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.66

$1.64 €1.43

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 SEK 35.99

$3.51 €3.07

6.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 830

$62.4 €54.6

38.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 SEK 62.3

$5.38 €4.70

20.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 SEK 18.06

$2.25 €1.96

-16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 603

$40.61 €35.48

54.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.93

$2.07 €1.81

-5.31%

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

$26.2K SEK 252.3K

$31.8K €27.8K

-17.60%

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

$25.4K SEK 244.6K

$36.0K €31.4K

-29.41%

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

$74.9 SEK 721

$449 €393

-83.34%

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

$28.64 SEK 276

$29.40 €25.69

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 SEK 269

$53.8 €46.98

-48.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 SEK 331

$40.23 €35.15

-14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.82 SEK 230

$22.91 €20.02

3.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.85 SEK 153

$14.10 €12.32

12.41%

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

$157 SEK 1,511

$472 €412

-66.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,162 SEK 40.1K

$11.6K €10.2K

-64.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 SEK 783

$95.5 €83.4

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 SEK 380

$32.72 €28.59

20.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 SEK 911

$126 €110

-25.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SEK 1,040

$153 €133

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SEK 8,185

$847 €740

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,933

$669 €585

38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 SEK 13.3K

$1,557 €1,360

-11.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

$1,209 €1,056

-11.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,480 SEK 23.9K

$3,357 €2,933

-26.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

3.87

24.03%

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

Last update for Boras: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $849 in Boras and $847 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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: $73.0 in Boras vs $70.0 in Ilmenau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $319 per month, with Ilmenau 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

Boras vs Ilmenau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boras is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $849 in Boras versus $847 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,958 per month in Boras versus $2,134 in Ilmenau – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 38% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,958 in Boras versus $2,134 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 9% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.