Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,063 in Gothenburg versus $1,609 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,240 in Gothenburg versus $2,497 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,417 in Gothenburg versus $3,386 in Bålsta.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 28% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 54% above, Bålsta 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$12.92 SEK 125

6.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 SEK 882

$67.5 SEK 652

35.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 101

$9.24 SEK 89.4

12.77%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SEK 46.95

$4.15 SEK 40.11

17.11%

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

$3.08 SEK 29.74

$2.78 SEK 26.92

10.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.77

$2.38 SEK 22.99

7.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 SEK 71.8

$7.53 SEK 72.8

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 SEK 74.6

$7.42 SEK 71.7

4.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.00

$1.60 SEK 15.48

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 SEK 27.78

$2.13 SEK 20.57

34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.30

$3.79 SEK 36.66

-11.87%

Eggs

$4.63 SEK 44.80

$3.86 SEK 37.30

19.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 113

$11.70 SEK 113

-0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$11.82 SEK 114

4.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 SEK 180

$11.43 SEK 110

63.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.72

$2.57 SEK 24.87

19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.56

$2.69 SEK 26.00

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.30

$2.34 SEK 22.63

25.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 41.67

$3.01 SEK 29.13

43.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.97

$1.57 SEK 15.16

12.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$1.30 SEK 12.61

43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 21.42

$1.56 SEK 15.08

42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 15.38

$1.07 SEK 10.34

48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SEK 76.8

$7.57 SEK 73.2

4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 SEK 139

$10.24 SEK 99.0

40.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.25

$1.60 SEK 15.45

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.44

$1.92 SEK 18.52

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 SEK 37.94

$3.28 SEK 31.71

19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 SEK 879

$74.9 SEK 724

21.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 SEK 98.2

$6.39 SEK 61.7

59.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 16.10

$1.22 SEK 11.82

36.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.6 SEK 595

$81.6 SEK 788

-24.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.95

$1.93 SEK 18.70

1.55%

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

$32.2K SEK 311.1K

$32.8K SEK 316.8K

-1.82%

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

$35.6K SEK 343.7K

$34.7K SEK 335.9K

2.34%

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

$140 SEK 1,356

$52.0 SEK 503

169.62%

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

$25.00 SEK 242

$21.11 SEK 204

18.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 SEK 373

$36.55 SEK 353

5.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 SEK 400

$40.47 SEK 391

2.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 SEK 240

$24.85 SEK 240

-0.16%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 174

$13.65 SEK 132

32.16%

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

$178 SEK 1,719

$128 SEK 1,241

38.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

$734 SEK 7,091

469.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 866

$74.9 SEK 724

19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 SEK 381

$10.69 SEK 103

268.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SEK 922

$85.1 SEK 823

12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,474

$115 SEK 1,110

32.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$824 SEK 7,962

33.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 SEK 8,314

$663 SEK 6,408

29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 SEK 18.1K

$1,372 SEK 13.3K

36.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

$1,065 SEK 10.3K

31.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,493 SEK 62.8K

$3,802 SEK 36.7K

70.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

$3,106 SEK 30.0K

12.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 SEK 34.7K

$3,963 SEK 38.3K

-9.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

44.33%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,096 in Gothenburg and $824 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Gothenburg vs $67.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $309 per month, with Bålsta cheaper across the board.

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 Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Bålsta. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,096 in Gothenburg versus $824 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,063 per month in Gothenburg versus $1,609 in Bålsta – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 21% less than in Gothenburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,609 in Bålsta versus $2,063 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,609 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.