Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Detroit, MI and Gothenburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Gothenburg: $2,044 a month against $2,329 in Detroit, MI, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Detroit, MI
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Detroit, MI Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Gothenburg
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Gothenburg Living Index

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Detroit, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,329

/mo nomad

Gothenburg

🇸🇪 Sweden

$2,044

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Detroit, MI and in Gothenburg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Detroit, MI and in Gothenburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,329 per month in Detroit, MI vs $2,044 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Detroit, MI $2,329
Gothenburg $2,044

A couple spends around $3,536 per month in Detroit, MI vs $3,078 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Detroit, MI $3,536
Gothenburg $3,078

A family of three spends $4,744 per month in Detroit, MI vs $4,113 in Gothenburg, rent included.

Detroit, MI $4,744
Gothenburg $4,113

Detroit, MI costs about 14% more than Gothenburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Detroit, MI and Gothenburg sit above the global median – Detroit, MI by 72%, Gothenburg by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$13.77 SEK 136

28.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 $62.0

$87.4 SEK 866

-28.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 $13.18

$12.41 SEK 123

6.20%

Cappuccino

$5.58 $5.58

$4.87 SEK 48.30

14.58%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.89 SEK 28.62

9.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.40 SEK 23.76

-15.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.03 SEK 69.6

11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$7.69 SEK 76.2

15.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.67 SEK 16.58

-37.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.70 SEK 26.73

31.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.16 SEK 31.32

75.00%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$3.86 SEK 38.28

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 $13.52

$11.53 SEK 114

17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$11.57 SEK 115

-2.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.72 $16.72

$16.35 SEK 162

2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.02 SEK 29.92

66.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.41 SEK 23.90

-36.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.00 SEK 29.77

52.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.45 SEK 44.10

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.77 SEK 17.51

45.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.70 SEK 16.80

84.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.04 SEK 20.22

14.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.62 SEK 16.05

50.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$8.32 SEK 82.4

26.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 $15.43

$15.06 SEK 149

2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.04 SEK 20.21

49.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.25 SEK 22.24

55.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.84 SEK 38.05

-47.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 $120

$87.5 SEK 867

37.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$6.33 SEK 62.7

-53.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.65 SEK 16.38

-7.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.20 $24.20

$59.6 SEK 591

-59.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.74 SEK 17.28

-33.91%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$33.9K SEK 336.0K

2.23%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$34.0K SEK 337.3K

-22.14%

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

$213 $213

$106 SEK 1,046

101.43%

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

$59.6 $59.6

$19.51 SEK 193

205.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$33.69 SEK 334

106.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.16 $34.16

$35.23 SEK 349

-3.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 $17.65

$24.38 SEK 242

-27.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$17.18 SEK 170

-30.73%

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

$1,346 $1,346

$221 SEK 2,186

510.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$4,412 SEK 43.7K

617.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 $60.0

$89.2 SEK 883

-32.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.12 $41.12

$32.97 SEK 327

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 $97.0

$88.3 SEK 874

9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$131 SEK 1,301

-10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 $1,490

$1,046 SEK 10.4K

42.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$908 SEK 8,998

0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,854 $2,854

$1,809 SEK 17.9K

57.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 $1,720

$1,383 SEK 13.7K

24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,958 $3,958

$6,137 SEK 60.8K

-35.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,259 $1,259

$3,523 SEK 34.9K

-64.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,274 $3,274

$3,594 SEK 35.6K

-8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

3.06

112.09%

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

Last update for Detroit, MI: October 17, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Detroit, MI

$910 39.1%

Gothenburg

$908 44.4% 0.2% $1.9

Groceries & Markets

Detroit, MI

$412 17.7%

Gothenburg

$358 17.5% 13.1% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Detroit, MI

$342 14.7%

Gothenburg

$159 7.8% 53.5% $183

Eating Out

Detroit, MI

$326 14%

Gothenburg

$278 13.6% 14.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Detroit, MI

$142 6.1%

Gothenburg

$154 7.5% 8.4% $12

Getting Around

Detroit, MI

$139 6%

Gothenburg

$117 5.8% 15.3% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Detroit, MI

$58 2.5%

Gothenburg

$70 3.4% 20.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Detroit, MI versus $1,046 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 10% higher in Gothenburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Detroit, MI versus $87.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Detroit, MI vs $358 in Gothenburg – so Gothenburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Detroit, MI

🇸🇪 Gothenburg

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

10:10 10:10 AM

6 h ahead of Detroit, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

632,464

607,882

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

SEK to USD in detail →

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Detroit, MI Gothenburg 6,410 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Detroit, MI
Gothenburg

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Detroit, MI vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Detroit, MI costs about 14% more than Gothenburg, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,493 per month in Detroit, MI and $3,065 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Detroit, MI and $87.0 in Gothenburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,329 in Detroit, MI and $2,044 in Gothenburg. That's a gap of about 14%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gothenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,044, than in Detroit, MI at $2,329. In Gothenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Detroit, MI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gothenburg costs $2,044 versus $2,329 in Detroit, MI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Detroit, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.