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: $2,058 in Gothenburg versus $1,640 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,193 in Gothenburg versus $2,500 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,328 in Gothenburg versus $3,359 in Bålsta.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 26% more expensive than Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 54% above, Bålsta 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 129

$13.33 SEK 125

3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.9 SEK 882

$68.3 SEK 641

37.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 97.1

$9.44 SEK 88.7

9.53%

Cappuccino

$4.73 SEK 44.47

$4.10 SEK 38.53

15.37%

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

$2.97 SEK 27.88

$2.78 SEK 26.09

6.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.80

$2.40 SEK 22.58

5.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$7.35 SEK 69.1

-1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 SEK 72.5

$7.51 SEK 70.5

2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.77

$1.62 SEK 15.26

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 SEK 26.80

$2.08 SEK 19.54

37.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 31.15

$3.79 SEK 35.60

-12.40%

Eggs

$4.65 SEK 43.70

$3.91 SEK 36.75

18.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 SEK 111

$11.38 SEK 107

3.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 SEK 118

$11.86 SEK 111

6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 SEK 179

$11.38 SEK 107

67.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.11

$2.72 SEK 25.54

13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 SEK 25.71

$2.65 SEK 24.93

3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 SEK 27.29

$2.38 SEK 22.35

22.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 SEK 39.22

$2.92 SEK 27.45

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.61

$1.56 SEK 14.66

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 SEK 17.37

$1.30 SEK 12.22

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 SEK 21.36

$1.60 SEK 15.07

41.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.55

$1.04 SEK 9.75

49.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.5

$7.52 SEK 70.6

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 SEK 144

$10.83 SEK 102

41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 SEK 21.22

$1.55 SEK 14.59

45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 SEK 24.49

$1.95 SEK 18.35

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 SEK 35.69

$3.41 SEK 32.04

11.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 SEK 832

$73.0 SEK 686

21.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 SEK 94.9

$6.20 SEK 58.2

63.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.58

$1.19 SEK 11.21

39.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 SEK 580

$81.6 SEK 766

-24.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 SEK 17.76

$1.93 SEK 18.17

-2.07%

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

$32.0K SEK 300.9K

$32.0K SEK 300.3K

0.21%

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

$34.5K SEK 323.8K

$34.4K SEK 323.0K

0.25%

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

$138 SEK 1,301

$53.1 SEK 499

160.75%

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

$24.95 SEK 234

$20.82 SEK 196

19.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.25 SEK 359

$36.89 SEK 346

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 SEK 392

$39.85 SEK 374

4.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.26 SEK 237

$25.53 SEK 240

-1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.98 SEK 169

$13.50 SEK 127

33.19%

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

$175 SEK 1,648

$125 SEK 1,173

40.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,215 SEK 39.6K

$748 SEK 7,025

463.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 SEK 823

$75.3 SEK 707

16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.28 SEK 378

$10.66 SEK 100

277.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 SEK 910

$84.6 SEK 794

14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 SEK 1,468

$115 SEK 1,081

35.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 SEK 10.6K

$842 SEK 7,913

33.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 SEK 8,203

$664 SEK 6,240

31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 SEK 18.0K

$1,413 SEK 13.3K

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 SEK 13.5K

$1,074 SEK 10.1K

33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,696 SEK 62.9K

$4,129 SEK 38.8K

62.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,764 SEK 35.4K

$2,918 SEK 27.4K

29.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,953 SEK 37.1K

$4,120 SEK 38.7K

-4.05%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Gothenburg and $842 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $94.0 in Gothenburg vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 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 26% 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, Bålsta earns 4% less. 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: $1,125 in Gothenburg versus $842 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,058 per month in Gothenburg versus $1,640 in Bålsta – a 26% 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 $1,640 in Bålsta versus $2,058 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 $1,640 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 26% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.