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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Canberra vs $2,063 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,582 per month in Canberra vs $3,240 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,703 per month in Canberra vs $4,417 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Canberra costs about 19% more than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Canberra and Gothenburg sit above the global median – Canberra by 84%, Gothenburg by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 A$23.20

$13.74 SEK 132

17.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 A$126

$91.2 SEK 879

-3.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.81

$10.42 SEK 100

-7.39%

Cappuccino

$3.43 A$4.91

$4.86 SEK 46.80

-29.42%

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

$2.70 A$3.87

$3.08 SEK 29.65

-12.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.18

$2.56 SEK 24.69

-13.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.38

$7.43 SEK 71.6

-11.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 A$10.80

$7.72 SEK 74.4

-2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.96

$1.76 SEK 16.94

-22.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.73

$2.87 SEK 27.70

-9.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$3.34 SEK 32.20

-46.41%

Eggs

$4.07 A$5.83

$4.63 SEK 44.66

-12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 A$14.10

$11.67 SEK 113

-15.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 A$13.27

$12.41 SEK 120

-25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 A$21.33

$18.65 SEK 180

-20.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.85

$3.07 SEK 29.63

10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$2.64 SEK 25.48

11.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.38

$2.93 SEK 28.21

4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.98

$4.31 SEK 41.54

13.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.29

$1.76 SEK 16.92

30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.01

$1.87 SEK 18.05

12.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.41

$2.22 SEK 21.35

7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 A$1.90

$1.59 SEK 15.33

-16.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.33 A$44.86

$7.94 SEK 76.6

294.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 A$20.47

$14.36 SEK 138

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.17 A$7.39

$2.20 SEK 21.19

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 A$8.40

$2.53 SEK 24.36

132.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.70

$3.92 SEK 37.82

-16.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 A$178

$90.9 SEK 876

36.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.81

$10.16 SEK 97.9

-60.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 A$2.55

$1.67 SEK 16.05

6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 A$59.1

$61.6 SEK 593

-32.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.71

$1.96 SEK 18.89

-39.29%

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

$29.1K A$41.7K

$32.2K SEK 310.1K

-9.43%

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

$23.1K A$33.0K

$35.6K SEK 342.7K

-35.16%

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

$222 A$318

$140 SEK 1,352

58.24%

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

$29.36 A$42.03

$25.00 SEK 241

17.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.1

$38.56 SEK 372

34.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$86.7

$41.38 SEK 399

46.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.87 A$29.89

$24.81 SEK 239

-15.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 A$19.23

$18.04 SEK 174

-25.55%

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

$1,750 A$2,506

$178 SEK 1,714

884.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.8K

$4,177 SEK 40.2K

213.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$103

$89.5 SEK 863

-19.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 A$80.3

$39.39 SEK 380

42.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 A$140

$95.4 SEK 919

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$153 SEK 1,470

-26.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 A$2,218

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,626

$860 SEK 8,288

32.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 A$4,030

$1,875 SEK 18.1K

50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 A$2,517

$1,404 SEK 13.5K

25.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K A$15.6K

$6,493 SEK 62.6K

68.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,234 A$10.4K

$3,504 SEK 33.8K

106.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,280 A$6,127

$3,590 SEK 34.6K

19.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,549 in Canberra versus $1,096 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 19% 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 $88.0 in Canberra versus $91.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $377 – 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: $2,462 in Canberra, $2,063 in Gothenburg – roughly 19% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,693 per month in Canberra and $3,094 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 $2,462 in Canberra and $2,063 in Gothenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $2,063, than in Canberra at $2,462. 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 $2,063 in Gothenburg to $2,462 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.