Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in Calgary versus $2,063 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,628 in Calgary versus $3,240 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,795 in Calgary versus $4,417 in Gothenburg.

Living in Calgary is roughly 19% more expensive than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 84% above, Gothenburg 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.79

$13.74 SEK 133

33.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 CA$98.3

$91.2 SEK 883

-23.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.41

$10.42 SEK 101

5.09%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.26

$4.86 SEK 47.02

-23.05%

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

$2.04 CA$2.87

$3.08 SEK 29.79

-33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$2.56 SEK 24.81

-34.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.32

$7.43 SEK 71.9

-30.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.45

$7.72 SEK 74.7

-13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.16

$1.76 SEK 17.02

27.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$2.87 SEK 27.83

-4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.34 SEK 32.35

-3.29%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$4.63 SEK 44.87

-25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 CA$20.26

$11.67 SEK 113

23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 CA$18.13

$12.41 SEK 120

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 CA$22.32

$18.65 SEK 181

-14.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.05

$3.07 SEK 29.77

40.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$2.64 SEK 25.60

-49.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.93 SEK 28.35

31.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.99

$4.31 SEK 41.74

-1.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.76 SEK 16.99

44.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.69

$1.87 SEK 18.13

40.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$2.22 SEK 21.45

26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.59 SEK 15.40

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.97 CA$21.06

$7.94 SEK 76.9

88.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CA$19.57

$14.36 SEK 139

-3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.11

$2.20 SEK 21.29

32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 CA$5.50

$2.53 SEK 24.48

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$3.92 SEK 38.00

-30.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 CA$124

$90.9 SEK 880

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.06

$10.16 SEK 98.4

-64.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.83

$1.67 SEK 16.12

-22.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.70 CA$40.39

$61.6 SEK 596

-53.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$1.96 SEK 18.98

-42.86%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$32.2K SEK 311.6K

-20.83%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$35.6K SEK 344.3K

-38.85%

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

$213 CA$300

$140 SEK 1,358

51.79%

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

$40.96 CA$57.6

$25.00 SEK 242

63.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 CA$81.5

$38.56 SEK 373

50.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 CA$76.2

$41.38 SEK 401

30.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 CA$75.6

$24.81 SEK 240

116.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 CA$17.77

$18.04 SEK 175

-29.99%

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

$874 CA$1,230

$178 SEK 1,722

391.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.3K

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

280.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 CA$82.5

$89.5 SEK 867

-34.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.01 CA$66.2

$39.39 SEK 381

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$120

$95.4 SEK 923

-10.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$153 SEK 1,477

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 CA$1,942

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,159 CA$1,631

$860 SEK 8,328

34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 CA$3,270

$1,875 SEK 18.2K

23.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,905 CA$2,680

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

35.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,786 CA$5,327

$6,493 SEK 62.9K

-41.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,511 CA$4,940

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

0.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,940 CA$4,136

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

-18.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

4.33

31.87%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,380 in Calgary and $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Calgary vs $91.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $396 vs $377, with Gothenburg 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

Calgary vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gothenburg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Gothenburg. 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: $1,380 in Calgary versus $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gothenburg – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,462 per month in Calgary versus $2,063 in Gothenburg – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,063 in Gothenburg versus $2,462 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gothenburg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Calgary 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 Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.