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: $2,353 in Calgary versus $2,128 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Calgary versus $3,175 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,622 in Calgary versus $4,222 in Gothenburg.

Living in Calgary is roughly 11% more expensive than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 71% above, Gothenburg 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.94 CA$24.82

$13.76 SEK 132

30.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 CA$97.6

$91.9 SEK 879

-23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.79

$12.84 SEK 123

-16.74%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.24

$5.06 SEK 48.44

-25.10%

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

$2.00 CA$2.77

$2.94 SEK 28.14

-31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.73

$2.19 SEK 20.94

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.18

$7.18 SEK 68.7

-27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.11

$7.86 SEK 75.2

-25.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CA$2.70

$1.80 SEK 17.19

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.77 SEK 26.50

1.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.77

$3.17 SEK 30.28

76.97%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.19

$4.10 SEK 39.18

-8.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 CA$15.91

$12.10 SEK 116

-4.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 CA$15.86

$11.67 SEK 112

-1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 CA$26.23

$17.76 SEK 170

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$3.23 SEK 30.88

49.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$2.64 SEK 25.25

-48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$3.22 SEK 30.79

31.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.74

$4.37 SEK 41.82

-5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$1.82 SEK 17.41

48.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$3.91

$1.68 SEK 16.02

68.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.03 SEK 19.38

30.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$1.78 SEK 17.01

-15.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.60 CA$20.21

$8.50 SEK 81.3

71.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 CA$21.80

$14.55 SEK 139

8.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$2.20 SEK 21.02

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.26

$2.38 SEK 22.76

29.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.05

$3.85 SEK 36.81

-23.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 CA$124

$88.8 SEK 849

0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 CA$4.59

$6.45 SEK 61.7

-48.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.73 SEK 16.50

-17.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.71 CA$38.34

$61.3 SEK 586

-54.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.90 SEK 18.22

-33.68%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$34.0K SEK 324.8K

-14.79%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$34.4K SEK 328.6K

-37.87%

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

$183 CA$253

$110 SEK 1,052

66.28%

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

$38.31 CA$53.0

$19.66 SEK 188

94.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$71.5

$36.30 SEK 347

42.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 CA$75.9

$37.94 SEK 363

44.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 CA$25.82

$25.89 SEK 248

-27.93%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 CA$19.73

$19.34 SEK 185

-26.27%

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

$828 CA$1,146

$230 SEK 2,196

260.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.0K

$4,554 SEK 43.6K

249.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 CA$82.4

$91.0 SEK 870

-34.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 CA$54.6

$34.36 SEK 329

14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$131

$94.0 SEK 900

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$156

$135 SEK 1,294

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 CA$1,750

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 CA$1,454

$961 SEK 9,192

9.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,934 CA$2,676

$1,849 SEK 17.7K

4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 CA$2,352

$1,440 SEK 13.8K

18.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,680 CA$5,092

$6,496 SEK 62.1K

-43.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,333 CA$4,613

$3,613 SEK 34.6K

-7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,276 CA$4,533

$3,639 SEK 34.8K

-9.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

3.06

43.79%

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

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,265 in Calgary and $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Calgary vs $92.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $372, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $1,265 in Calgary versus $1,061 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 $92.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,353 per month in Calgary versus $2,128 in Gothenburg – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $2,353 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 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.