Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Canberra Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Canberra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Gothenburg vs $2,462 in Canberra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,240 per month in Gothenburg vs $3,582 in Canberra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,417 per month in Gothenburg vs $4,703 in Canberra, rent included.

Gothenburg is about 16% cheaper than Canberra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Gothenburg and Canberra sit above the global median – Gothenburg by 54%, Canberra by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$16.20 A$23.22

-15.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 SEK 882

$87.7 A$126

4.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 101

$9.65 A$13.82

7.98%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SEK 46.95

$3.43 A$4.91

41.69%

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

$3.08 SEK 29.74

$2.70 A$3.87

14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.77

$2.22 A$3.18

15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 SEK 71.8

$6.55 A$9.39

13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 SEK 74.6

$7.54 A$10.81

2.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.00

$1.37 A$1.96

28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 SEK 27.78

$2.61 A$3.74

9.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.30

$1.79 A$2.57

86.59%

Eggs

$4.63 SEK 44.80

$4.07 A$5.83

13.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 113

$9.85 A$14.11

18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$9.27 A$13.28

33.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 SEK 180

$14.90 A$21.34

25.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.72

$3.39 A$4.85

-9.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.56

$2.94 A$4.21

-10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.30

$3.06 A$4.38

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 41.67

$4.88 A$6.99

-11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.97

$2.29 A$3.29

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$2.11 A$3.02

-11.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 21.42

$2.38 A$3.41

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 15.38

$1.33 A$1.91

19.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SEK 76.8

$31.33 A$44.89

-74.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 SEK 139

$14.29 A$20.48

0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.25

$5.17 A$7.40

-57.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.44

$5.87 A$8.41

-56.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 SEK 37.94

$3.28 A$4.70

19.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 SEK 879

$124 A$178

-26.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 SEK 98.2

$4.06 A$5.81

150.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 16.10

$1.78 A$2.56

-6.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.6 SEK 595

$41.31 A$59.2

49.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.95

$1.19 A$1.71

64.71%

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

$32.2K SEK 311.1K

$29.1K A$41.8K

10.41%

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

$35.6K SEK 343.7K

$23.1K A$33.0K

54.22%

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

$140 SEK 1,356

$222 A$318

-36.80%

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

$25.00 SEK 242

$29.36 A$42.06

-14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 SEK 373

$51.8 A$74.2

-25.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 SEK 400

$60.6 A$86.8

-31.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 SEK 240

$20.87 A$29.91

18.88%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 174

$13.43 A$19.24

34.33%

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

$178 SEK 1,719

$1,750 A$2,507

-89.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

$13.1K A$18.8K

-68.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 866

$71.9 A$103

24.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 SEK 381

$56.1 A$80.4

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SEK 922

$97.5 A$140

-2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,474

$112 A$161

35.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$1,549 A$2,220

-29.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 SEK 8,314

$1,135 A$1,627

-24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 SEK 18.1K

$2,815 A$4,033

-33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

$1,758 A$2,519

-20.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,493 SEK 62.8K

$10.9K A$15.6K

-40.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

$7,234 A$10.4K

-51.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 SEK 34.7K

$4,280 A$6,131

-16.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

6.29

-31.16%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canberra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Gothenburg versus $1,549 in Canberra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Canberra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Gothenburg versus $88.0 in Canberra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $358 – making Canberra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Canberra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,063 in Gothenburg, $2,462 in Canberra – roughly 19% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Gothenburg and $3,693 in Canberra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gothenburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,063 in Gothenburg and $2,462 in Canberra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Gothenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gothenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Canberra at $2,462. In Gothenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canberra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Gothenburg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,063 in Gothenburg to $2,462 in Canberra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gothenburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.