Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Arnhem

For one person, living is cheaper in Gothenburg: $2,026 a month against $2,557 in Arnhem, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,026
/mo nomad
Arnhem
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,557
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Arnhem

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,026 in Gothenburg versus $2,557 in Arnhem.

  • Gothenburg $2,026
  • Arnhem $2,557

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,062 in Gothenburg versus $3,743 in Arnhem.

  • Gothenburg $3,062
  • Arnhem $3,743

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,099 in Gothenburg versus $4,930 in Arnhem.

  • Gothenburg $4,099
  • Arnhem $4,930

Living in Gothenburg costs roughly 21% less than in Arnhem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 50% above, Arnhem 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.13 SEK 130
$21.91 €19.49
-40.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.8 SEK 830
$85.2 €75.8
-1.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.47 SEK 124
$14.98 €13.32
-16.76%
Cappuccino
$5.03 SEK 49.80
$4.07 €3.62
23.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 SEK 28.14
$3.34 €2.97
-14.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 SEK 23.44
$2.83 €2.52
-16.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.84 SEK 67.8
$5.62 €5.00
21.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.51 SEK 74.4
$5.47 €4.86
37.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 SEK 16.68
$1.48 €1.32
13.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.69 SEK 26.63
$1.99 €1.77
35.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.09 SEK 30.60
$2.29 €2.04
34.93%
Eggs
$3.81 SEK 37.74
$5.21 €4.64
-26.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.45 SEK 113
$12.74 €11.33
-10.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.32 SEK 112
$14.14 €12.58
-19.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.54 SEK 164
$15.77 €14.03
4.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.42
$2.82 €2.50
8.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 SEK 23.88
$2.54 €2.26
-5.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.01 SEK 29.83
$1.86 €1.65
61.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 SEK 42.09
$5.39 €4.79
-21.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 SEK 17.24
$1.88 €1.67
-7.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 SEK 16.06
$2.39 €2.13
-32.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 SEK 19.47
$1.22 €1.08
60.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 SEK 16.30
$0.71 €0.63
132.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.38 SEK 83.0
$14.23 €12.65
-41.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.69 SEK 146
$7.15 €6.36
105.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 SEK 20.14
$1.44 €1.28
40.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 SEK 22.24
$2.63 €2.34
-14.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.63 SEK 35.97
$4.35 €3.87
-16.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 SEK 857
$113 €100
-23.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.92 SEK 58.7
$4.00 €3.56
48.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 SEK 17.01
$2.38 €2.12
-27.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.6 SEK 581
$32.86 €29.23
78.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 SEK 17.29
$2.39 €2.12
-27.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K SEK 331.8K
$41.8K €37.2K
-19.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K SEK 331.3K
$39.7K €35.3K
-15.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 SEK 1,011
$276 €245
-62.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.73 SEK 196
$22.71 €20.20
-13.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.00 SEK 327
$42.44 €37.75
-22.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.48 SEK 352
$41.30 €36.73
-14.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.00 SEK 238
$10.99 €9.78
118.38%
Cinema Ticket
$18.32 SEK 182
$14.38 €12.79
27.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$217 SEK 2,147
$1,259 €1,120
-82.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,293 SEK 42.5K
$5,925 €5,270
-27.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.5 SEK 867
$95.3 €84.8
-8.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.46 SEK 332
$29.13 €25.91
14.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 SEK 862
$107 €94.8
-18.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 SEK 1,298
$152 €136
-14.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,026 SEK 10.2K
$1,436 €1,278
-28.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 SEK 8,951
$1,159 €1,031
-22.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,791 SEK 17.7K
$2,228 €1,982
-19.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 SEK 14.0K
$1,834 €1,632
-23.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,190 SEK 61.3K
$5,312 €4,725
16.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,427 SEK 34.0K
$4,175 €3,714
-17.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Arnhem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,492 SEK 34.6K
$3,723 €3,312
-6.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.95
-22.53%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Arnhem: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$903
Arnhem
$1.2K 28.3% $256
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$355
Arnhem
$335 5.6% $20
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$273
Arnhem
$333 22% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$155
Arnhem
$341 120% $186
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$153
Arnhem
$173 13.1% $20
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$115
Arnhem
$146 26.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$72
Arnhem
$70 2.9% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,026 in Gothenburg and $1,436 in Arnhem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arnhem pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Gothenburg vs $85.0 in Arnhem. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $335, with Arnhem cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇳🇱 Arnhem
🕒 Local time
01:46 1:46 AM
01:46 1:46 AM
Same time as Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
165,770
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Arnhem 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Arnhem

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
Gothenburg vs Arnhem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Gothenburg and in Arnhem?
Gothenburg and Arnhem differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($2,026 vs $2,557 including rent). Gothenburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Arnhem. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Gothenburg and in Arnhem?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,026 in Gothenburg versus $1,436 in Arnhem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Arnhem pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Gothenburg – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $85.0 in Arnhem. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $2,026 in Gothenburg versus $2,557 in Arnhem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Arnhem. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Gothenburg and Arnhem?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Gothenburg or Arnhem safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Arnhem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Gothenburg or Arnhem?
Expats usually find Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Arnhem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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