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: $2,523 in Calgary versus $2,058 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Calgary versus $3,193 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,780 in Calgary versus $4,328 in Gothenburg.

Living in Calgary is roughly 23% more expensive than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Calgary 88% above, Gothenburg 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 CA$25.86

$13.74 SEK 129

35.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$97.4

$93.9 SEK 880

-25.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.34 SEK 97.0

6.00%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.73 SEK 44.40

-21.14%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.97 SEK 27.84

-33.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$2.53 SEK 23.76

-32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$6.97

$7.26 SEK 68.1

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 CA$9.05

$7.72 SEK 72.4

-15.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CA$3.09

$1.68 SEK 15.75

32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.85 SEK 26.75

-6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.54

$3.32 SEK 31.11

-1.81%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.66

$4.65 SEK 43.63

-27.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$11.80 SEK 111

22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.01

$12.61 SEK 118

2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 CA$22.46

$19.02 SEK 178

-15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.01

$3.10 SEK 29.07

39.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$2.74 SEK 25.67

-50.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$2.91 SEK 27.25

31.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.81

$4.18 SEK 39.16

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.66 SEK 15.58

59.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.85 SEK 17.34

48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$2.27 SEK 21.33

21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.55 SEK 14.53

25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.83

$7.82 SEK 73.3

91.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$15.32 SEK 144

-4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.26 SEK 21.19

25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.61 SEK 24.45

54.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 CA$3.90

$3.80 SEK 35.63

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CA$120

$88.6 SEK 831

-2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$10.11 SEK 94.8

-64.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$1.66 SEK 15.56

-20.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$61.7 SEK 579

-53.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.89 SEK 17.73

-40.74%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$32.0K SEK 300.4K

-22.40%

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

$22.0K CA$30.6K

$34.5K SEK 323.3K

-36.24%

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

$217 CA$302

$138 SEK 1,299

56.86%

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

$41.55 CA$57.8

$24.95 SEK 234

66.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CA$80.8

$38.25 SEK 359

51.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 CA$76.1

$41.78 SEK 392

30.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.8 CA$73.5

$25.26 SEK 237

109.11%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 CA$17.75

$17.98 SEK 169

-28.98%

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

$874 CA$1,215

$175 SEK 1,646

397.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.2K

$4,215 SEK 39.5K

278.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 CA$81.8

$87.6 SEK 822

-32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 CA$64.6

$40.28 SEK 378

15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$121

$96.9 SEK 909

-10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$156 SEK 1,466

-30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 CA$1,966

$1,125 SEK 10.6K

25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,630

$873 SEK 8,190

34.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,319 CA$3,225

$1,917 SEK 18.0K

20.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 CA$2,623

$1,434 SEK 13.4K

31.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,892 CA$5,413

$6,696 SEK 62.8K

-41.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,503 CA$4,872

$3,764 SEK 35.3K

-6.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,149 CA$4,380

$3,953 SEK 37.1K

-20.34%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,414 in Calgary and $1,125 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 26% 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 $94.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $397 vs $381, 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 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gothenburg earns 26% 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: $1,414 in Calgary versus $1,125 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 $94.0 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,523 per month in Calgary versus $2,058 in Gothenburg – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,058 in Gothenburg versus $2,523 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 23% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.