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: $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $1,626 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Gothenburg versus $2,567 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,222 in Gothenburg versus $3,507 in Bålsta.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 132

$14.20 SEK 136

-3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 SEK 879

$68.1 SEK 652

34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 SEK 123

$9.12 SEK 87.3

40.79%

Cappuccino

$5.06 SEK 48.44

$4.32 SEK 41.34

17.13%

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

$2.94 SEK 28.14

$2.79 SEK 26.66

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 20.94

$2.29 SEK 21.90

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 SEK 68.7

$7.26 SEK 69.4

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 SEK 75.2

$7.36 SEK 70.4

6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.19

$1.55 SEK 14.83

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 SEK 26.50

$2.05 SEK 19.62

35.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.28

$3.70 SEK 35.43

-14.32%

Eggs

$4.10 SEK 39.18

$3.81 SEK 36.41

7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 116

$11.69 SEK 112

3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 112

$12.50 SEK 120

-6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 SEK 170

$11.46 SEK 110

54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.88

$2.69 SEK 25.74

20.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.25

$2.80 SEK 26.79

-5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 30.79

$2.15 SEK 20.54

49.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 41.82

$2.97 SEK 28.38

47.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.41

$1.54 SEK 14.75

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 16.02

$1.28 SEK 12.24

31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 SEK 19.38

$1.62 SEK 15.50

25.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.01

$1.07 SEK 10.24

66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.50 SEK 81.3

$7.27 SEK 69.6

16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 SEK 139

$10.58 SEK 101

37.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.02

$1.55 SEK 14.84

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.76

$2.08 SEK 19.86

14.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 SEK 36.81

$3.47 SEK 33.16

10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 SEK 849

$80.2 SEK 767

10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 61.7

$6.04 SEK 57.8

6.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 SEK 16.50

$1.60 SEK 15.34

8.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 SEK 586

$83.0 SEK 794

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.22

$1.84 SEK 17.65

3.26%

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

$34.0K SEK 324.8K

$35.4K SEK 338.5K

-4.03%

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

$34.4K SEK 328.6K

$34.3K SEK 327.9K

0.24%

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

$110 SEK 1,052

$53.6 SEK 513

105.18%

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

$19.66 SEK 188

$21.09 SEK 202

-6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 SEK 347

$41.49 SEK 397

-12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 SEK 363

$39.72 SEK 380

-4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.89 SEK 248

$26.61 SEK 255

-2.71%

Cinema Ticket

$19.34 SEK 185

$13.50 SEK 129

43.26%

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

$230 SEK 2,196

$127 SEK 1,213

81.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,554 SEK 43.6K

$5,225 SEK 50.0K

-12.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 SEK 870

$73.2 SEK 700

24.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 SEK 329

$10.59 SEK 101

224.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 SEK 900

$84.1 SEK 804

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 SEK 1,294

$115 SEK 1,103

17.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

$856 SEK 8,185

24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 SEK 9,192

$626 SEK 5,992

53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 SEK 17.7K

$1,390 SEK 13.3K

33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 SEK 13.8K

$1,066 SEK 10.2K

35.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.1K

$4,199 SEK 40.2K

54.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,613 SEK 34.6K

$2,939 SEK 28.1K

22.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,639 SEK 34.8K

$4,069 SEK 38.9K

-10.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

2.00%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Gothenburg and $856 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Gothenburg vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $311 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 31% 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 12% 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: $1,061 in Gothenburg versus $856 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,128 per month in Gothenburg versus $1,626 in Bålsta – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 11% less than in Gothenburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,626 in Bålsta versus $2,128 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 $1,626 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 31% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.