Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $2,353 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Gothenburg versus $3,488 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,222 in Gothenburg versus $4,622 in Calgary.

Living in Gothenburg costs roughly 10% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Calgary 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.76 SEK 133

$17.94 CA$24.84

-23.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 SEK 885

$70.5 CA$97.7

30.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 SEK 124

$10.69 CA$14.80

20.11%

Cappuccino

$5.06 SEK 48.77

$3.79 CA$5.24

33.51%

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

$2.94 SEK 28.33

$2.00 CA$2.77

47.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$1.98 CA$2.73

10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 SEK 69.2

$5.19 CA$7.19

38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 SEK 75.7

$5.86 CA$8.11

34.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.30

$1.95 CA$2.71

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 SEK 26.68

$2.82 CA$3.91

-1.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.49

$5.61 CA$7.77

-43.49%

Eggs

$4.10 SEK 39.45

$3.75 CA$5.20

9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 SEK 117

$11.50 CA$15.93

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 112

$11.46 CA$15.87

1.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 SEK 171

$18.95 CA$26.24

-6.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 31.09

$4.83 CA$6.69

-33.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.42

$1.37 CA$1.90

92.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 31.00

$4.25 CA$5.88

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.11

$4.15 CA$5.75

5.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.52

$2.70 CA$3.74

-32.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 16.13

$2.83 CA$3.92

-40.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 SEK 19.51

$2.64 CA$3.65

-23.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.13

$1.51 CA$2.09

17.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.50 SEK 81.8

$14.60 CA$20.22

-41.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.55 SEK 140

$15.76 CA$21.82

-7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.16

$2.60 CA$3.60

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SEK 22.91

$3.08 CA$4.27

-22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 SEK 37.06

$2.93 CA$4.05

31.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 SEK 855

$89.3 CA$124

-0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 SEK 62.1

$3.32 CA$4.60

94.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 SEK 16.62

$1.43 CA$1.98

20.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.3 SEK 590

$27.71 CA$38.36

121.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.34

$1.26 CA$1.74

50.79%

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

$34.0K SEK 327.1K

$28.9K CA$40.1K

17.35%

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

$34.4K SEK 330.9K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

60.95%

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

$110 SEK 1,060

$183 CA$253

-39.86%

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

$19.66 SEK 189

$38.31 CA$53.0

-48.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.30 SEK 350

$51.7 CA$71.6

-29.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 SEK 365

$54.9 CA$76.0

-30.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.89 SEK 249

$18.66 CA$25.84

38.75%

Cinema Ticket

$19.34 SEK 186

$14.26 CA$19.74

35.62%

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

$230 SEK 2,212

$828 CA$1,147

-72.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,554 SEK 43.9K

$15.9K CA$22.0K

-71.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 SEK 876

$59.6 CA$82.5

52.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 SEK 331

$39.47 CA$54.7

-12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 SEK 906

$94.3 CA$131

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 SEK 1,303

$113 CA$156

19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

$1,265 CA$1,751

-16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$961 SEK 9,255

$1,051 CA$1,455

-8.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,849 SEK 17.8K

$1,934 CA$2,678

-4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 SEK 13.9K

$1,700 CA$2,354

-15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$3,680 CA$5,096

76.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,613 SEK 34.8K

$3,333 CA$4,616

8.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,639 SEK 35.0K

$3,276 CA$4,536

11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

4.4

-30.45%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Gothenburg and $1,265 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 11% 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 $71.0 in Calgary. Groceries flip the comparison at $372 vs $397, with Gothenburg cheaper for home cooking.

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 Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gothenburg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Gothenburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Gothenburg versus $1,265 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gothenburg – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,128 per month in Gothenburg versus $2,353 in Calgary – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $2,353 in Calgary, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Calgary. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gothenburg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Calgary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Calgary 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 Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.