Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $2,058 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $3,193 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $4,328 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Canberra costs about 21% more than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Canberra and Gothenburg sit above the global median – Canberra by 85%, Gothenburg by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$13.74 SEK 128

16.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$93.9 SEK 876

-8.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$10.34 SEK 96.5

-4.64%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$4.73 SEK 44.18

-28.96%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$2.97 SEK 27.70

-13.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$2.53 SEK 23.64

-8.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$7.26 SEK 67.8

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$7.72 SEK 72.0

-2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.68 SEK 15.67

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$2.85 SEK 26.62

-5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$3.32 SEK 30.95

-44.28%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$4.65 SEK 43.41

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$11.80 SEK 110

-15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$12.61 SEK 118

-26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$19.02 SEK 178

-21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$3.10 SEK 28.92

5.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$2.74 SEK 25.54

4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$2.91 SEK 27.11

5.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$4.18 SEK 38.96

16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.66 SEK 15.50

37.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$1.85 SEK 17.25

13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$2.27 SEK 21.22

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.55 SEK 14.46

-16.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$7.82 SEK 73.0

288.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$15.32 SEK 143

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$2.26 SEK 21.08

125.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$2.61 SEK 24.32

134.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$3.80 SEK 35.45

-14.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$88.6 SEK 827

35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$10.11 SEK 94.3

-59.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$1.66 SEK 15.48

3.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$61.7 SEK 576

-34.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$1.89 SEK 17.64

-39.15%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$32.0K SEK 298.9K

-10.39%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$34.5K SEK 321.6K

-34.32%

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

$222 A$310

$138 SEK 1,292

60.57%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$24.95 SEK 233

20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$38.25 SEK 357

36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$41.78 SEK 390

43.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$25.26 SEK 236

-17.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$17.98 SEK 168

-24.42%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$175 SEK 1,637

904.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$4,215 SEK 39.3K

218.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$87.6 SEK 817

-19.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$40.28 SEK 376

40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$96.9 SEK 904

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$156 SEK 1,458

-26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$1,125 SEK 10.5K

37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$873 SEK 8,148

30.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$1,917 SEK 17.9K

48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$1,434 SEK 13.4K

22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$6,696 SEK 62.5K

34.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$3,764 SEK 35.1K

61.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$3,953 SEK 36.9K

17.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

4.33

45.27%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra versus $1,125 in Gothenburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Canberra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Canberra versus $94.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $381 – making Canberra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Canberra vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $2,058 in Gothenburg – roughly 21% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra and $3,087 in Gothenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gothenburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $2,058 in Gothenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Gothenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gothenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,058, than in Canberra at $2,482. In Gothenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canberra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Gothenburg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,058 in Gothenburg to $2,482 in Canberra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gothenburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.