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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,980 per month in Canberra vs $2,097 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,172 per month in Canberra vs $3,218 in Gothenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,364 per month in Canberra vs $4,339 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Canberra costs about 42% more than Gothenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Canberra and Gothenburg sit above the global median – Canberra by 116%, Gothenburg by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 A$28.16

$13.75 SEK 133

46.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 A$132

$91.4 SEK 886

3.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 A$15.38

$13.46 SEK 131

-18.05%

Cappuccino

$4.24 A$5.91

$5.14 SEK 49.80

-17.51%

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

$3.31 A$4.62

$3.03 SEK 29.41

9.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 A$3.94

$2.30 SEK 22.30

22.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.72 A$12.16

$7.07 SEK 68.6

23.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.09 A$14.07

$7.68 SEK 74.5

31.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 A$2.32

$1.83 SEK 17.72

-9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 A$4.83

$2.71 SEK 26.27

27.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 A$3.69

$3.30 SEK 31.98

-20.00%

Eggs

$5.63 A$7.84

$4.07 SEK 39.47

38.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 A$20.08

$12.25 SEK 119

17.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 A$15.55

$11.83 SEK 115

-5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 A$22.72

$17.52 SEK 170

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 A$5.69

$3.22 SEK 31.18

26.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.25 A$4.53

$2.68 SEK 25.96

21.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 A$5.15

$3.12 SEK 30.27

18.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 A$7.11

$4.35 SEK 42.16

17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.43

$1.88 SEK 18.26

69.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 A$4.03

$1.73 SEK 16.77

67.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 A$3.80

$2.11 SEK 20.42

29.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 A$2.02

$1.78 SEK 17.21

-18.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$46.77 A$65.2

$8.16 SEK 79.1

473.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 A$20.94

$14.29 SEK 139

5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 A$6.69

$2.21 SEK 21.41

117.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 A$8.08

$2.25 SEK 21.80

157.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 A$4.90

$3.75 SEK 36.39

-6.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 A$132

$88.2 SEK 855

7.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 A$5.75

$6.49 SEK 62.9

-36.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 A$2.27

$1.73 SEK 16.76

-5.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.00 A$61.4

$61.2 SEK 593

-28.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 A$1.83

$1.90 SEK 18.47

-31.05%

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

$28.1K A$39.2K

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

-18.33%

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

$31.0K A$43.3K

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

-10.55%

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

$189 A$264

$107 SEK 1,035

77.10%

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

$28.38 A$39.57

$20.02 SEK 194

41.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 A$81.6

$36.46 SEK 353

60.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.6 A$125

$37.87 SEK 367

136.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 A$39.77

$25.91 SEK 251

10.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.91 A$23.58

$19.30 SEK 187

-12.38%

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

$2,492 A$3,475

$226 SEK 2,192

1002.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K A$29.0K

$4,552 SEK 44.1K

356.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 A$109

$92.1 SEK 892

-15.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 A$80.7

$34.33 SEK 333

68.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 A$170

$96.0 SEK 930

27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 A$192

$138 SEK 1,336

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 A$2,572

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

68.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 A$2,197

$974 SEK 9,446

61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 A$4,691

$1,896 SEK 18.4K

77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 A$2,958

$1,464 SEK 14.2K

44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.5K A$16.1K

$6,464 SEK 62.7K

78.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,639 A$10.7K

$3,660 SEK 35.5K

108.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,447 A$6,201

$3,689 SEK 35.8K

20.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

3.06

94.44%

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

Last update for Canberra: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,845 in Canberra versus $1,093 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 21% 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 $95.0 in Canberra versus $91.0 in Gothenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $373 – making Gothenburg 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: $2,980 in Canberra, $2,097 in Gothenburg – roughly 42% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,470 per month in Canberra and $3,145 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 $2,980 in Canberra and $2,097 in Gothenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% 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 $2,097, than in Canberra at $2,980. 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 $2,097 in Gothenburg to $2,980 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.