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: $1,947 in Boras versus $2,106 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,766 in Boras versus $3,141 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,586 in Boras versus $4,176 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 45% above, Ilmenau 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 119

$15.28 €13.15

-16.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 SEK 656

$70.5 €60.7

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 SEK 99.4

$7.95 €6.84

33.96%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.56

$3.42 €2.94

33.33%

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

$2.24 SEK 20.89

$3.65 €3.14

-38.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.00

$2.85 €2.45

-24.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 SEK 74.1

$4.65 €4.00

70.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 SEK 67.9

$3.50 €3.01

107.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.57

$1.05 €0.91

59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 SEK 20.82

$1.13 €0.98

97.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 28.33

$3.11 €2.67

-2.25%

Eggs

$4.50 SEK 42.00

$3.73 €3.21

20.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 SEK 122

$14.46 €12.44

-9.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 SEK 109

$13.27 €11.42

-12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 SEK 162

$18.33 €15.76

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.13

$2.92 €2.51

-7.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 26.78

$1.53 €1.32

87.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 26.25

$2.63 €2.26

6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.45

$5.12 €4.41

-29.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.06

$0.85 €0.73

89.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 14.94

$1.59 €1.36

0.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 SEK 13.25

$1.82 €1.57

-21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.67

$0.91 €0.79

60.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 SEK 76.9

$9.41 €8.09

-12.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 91.8

$6.37 €5.48

54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 SEK 18.13

$0.96 €0.83

102.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.99

$1.56 €1.34

9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 SEK 34.82

$3.51 €3.02

6.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 SEK 808

$62.0 €53.3

39.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 SEK 57.7

$5.58 €4.80

10.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SEK 17.68

$2.18 €1.87

-13.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 596

$40.21 €34.58

58.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.76

$2.03 €1.75

-6.40%

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

$26.3K SEK 245.5K

$31.2K €26.8K

-15.66%

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

$25.0K SEK 233.5K

$35.1K €30.2K

-28.65%

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

$75.9 SEK 709

$443 €381

-82.85%

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

$28.10 SEK 262

$30.12 €25.91

-6.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 SEK 257

$53.7 €46.18

-48.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 SEK 319

$39.31 €33.81

-13.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.96 SEK 224

$22.94 €19.73

4.45%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 SEK 148

$14.09 €12.12

12.78%

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

$160 SEK 1,496

$455 €392

-64.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 38.5K

$11.8K €10.1K

-64.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 SEK 761

$97.2 €83.6

-16.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 SEK 373

$32.92 €28.32

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 SEK 889

$124 €106

-22.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 SEK 1,027

$153 €131

-27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 SEK 7,891

$828 €713

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 SEK 8,419

$679 €584

32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

$1,559 €1,341

-12.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.2K

$1,241 €1,068

-11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 SEK 36.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 SEK 31.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,547 SEK 23.8K

$3,410 €2,933

-25.29%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $846 in Boras and $828 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 34% 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: $70.0 in Boras vs $71.0 in Ilmenau. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $319, with Ilmenau cheaper for home cooking.

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 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ilmenau earns 34% less. 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: $846 in Boras versus $828 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,947 per month in Boras versus $2,106 in Ilmenau – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 40% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,947 in Boras versus $2,106 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 8% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.