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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,097 per month in Gothenburg vs $2,980 in Canberra, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,218 per month in Gothenburg vs $4,172 in Canberra, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,339 per month in Gothenburg vs $5,364 in Canberra, rent included.

Gothenburg is about 30% cheaper than Canberra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gothenburg and Canberra sit above the global median – Gothenburg by 52%, Canberra by 116%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 SEK 133

$20.20 A$28.16

-31.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 SEK 886

$94.6 A$132

-3.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.46 SEK 131

$11.03 A$15.38

22.03%

Cappuccino

$5.14 SEK 49.80

$4.24 A$5.91

21.23%

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

$3.03 SEK 29.41

$3.31 A$4.62

-8.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 SEK 22.30

$2.82 A$3.94

-18.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 SEK 68.6

$8.72 A$12.16

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.68 SEK 74.5

$10.09 A$14.07

-23.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.72

$1.66 A$2.32

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 SEK 26.27

$3.46 A$4.83

-21.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 SEK 31.98

$2.64 A$3.69

25.00%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 39.47

$5.63 A$7.84

-27.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 119

$14.40 A$20.08

-14.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 SEK 115

$11.15 A$15.55

6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 SEK 170

$16.29 A$22.72

7.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 SEK 31.18

$4.08 A$5.69

-21.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 25.96

$3.25 A$4.53

-17.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 30.27

$3.70 A$5.15

-15.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 SEK 42.16

$5.10 A$7.11

-14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 18.26

$3.18 A$4.43

-40.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 SEK 16.77

$2.89 A$4.03

-40.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 SEK 20.42

$2.73 A$3.80

-22.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.21

$1.45 A$2.02

22.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 SEK 79.1

$46.77 A$65.2

-82.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 SEK 139

$15.02 A$20.94

-4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 21.41

$4.80 A$6.69

-53.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SEK 21.80

$5.80 A$8.08

-61.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.75 SEK 36.39

$3.51 A$4.90

6.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 SEK 855

$95.0 A$132

-7.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 SEK 62.9

$4.12 A$5.75

57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 SEK 16.76

$1.63 A$2.27

6.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 SEK 593

$44.00 A$61.4

39.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.47

$1.31 A$1.83

45.04%

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

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

$28.1K A$39.2K

22.44%

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

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

$31.0K A$43.3K

11.80%

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

$107 SEK 1,035

$189 A$264

-43.53%

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

$20.02 SEK 194

$28.38 A$39.57

-29.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.46 SEK 353

$58.6 A$81.6

-37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 SEK 367

$89.6 A$125

-57.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.91 SEK 251

$28.52 A$39.77

-9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$19.30 SEK 187

$16.91 A$23.58

14.13%

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

$226 SEK 2,192

$2,492 A$3,475

-90.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,552 SEK 44.1K

$20.8K A$29.0K

-78.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.1 SEK 892

$78.2 A$109

17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 SEK 333

$57.9 A$80.7

-40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 SEK 930

$122 A$170

-21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 SEK 1,336

$138 A$192

-0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

$1,845 A$2,572

-40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$974 SEK 9,446

$1,576 A$2,197

-38.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 SEK 18.4K

$3,365 A$4,691

-43.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SEK 14.2K

$2,122 A$2,958

-31.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,464 SEK 62.7K

$11.5K A$16.1K

-44.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,660 SEK 35.5K

$7,639 A$10.7K

-52.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,689 SEK 35.8K

$4,447 A$6,201

-17.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.06

5.95

-48.57%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: September 7, 2026

Last update for Canberra: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,093 in Gothenburg versus $1,845 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 21% 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 $95.0 in Canberra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $422 – making Gothenburg 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: $2,097 in Gothenburg, $2,980 in Canberra – roughly 42% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,145 per month in Gothenburg and $4,470 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 $2,097 in Gothenburg and $2,980 in Canberra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% 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 $2,097, than in Canberra at $2,980. 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 $2,097 in Gothenburg to $2,980 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.