Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Freiburg im Breisgau Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Freiburg im Breisgau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Gothenburg vs $2,252 in Freiburg im Breisgau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,240 per month in Gothenburg vs $3,445 in Freiburg im Breisgau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,417 per month in Gothenburg vs $4,638 in Freiburg im Breisgau, rent included.

Gothenburg is about 8% cheaper than Freiburg im Breisgau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Gothenburg and Freiburg im Breisgau sit above the global median – Gothenburg by 54%, Freiburg im Breisgau by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$17.71 €15.49

-22.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 SEK 882

$68.4 €59.9

33.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 101

$12.60 €11.02

-17.30%

Cappuccino

$4.86 SEK 46.95

$3.72 €3.25

30.65%

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

$3.08 SEK 29.74

$3.58 €3.13

-13.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.77

$3.53 €3.09

-27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 SEK 71.8

$5.86 €5.13

26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 SEK 74.6

$4.76 €4.16

62.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SEK 17.00

$1.24 €1.09

41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 SEK 27.78

$2.33 €2.04

23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 SEK 32.30

$3.33 €2.91

0.30%

Eggs

$4.63 SEK 44.80

$3.91 €3.42

18.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 SEK 113

$14.63 €12.80

-20.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$15.12 €13.23

-17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 SEK 180

$22.35 €19.55

-16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.72

$3.25 €2.85

-5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 SEK 25.56

$1.67 €1.46

58.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.30

$2.31 €2.02

26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 41.67

$5.05 €4.42

-14.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 SEK 16.97

$1.55 €1.35

13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$1.74 €1.52

7.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 21.42

$2.09 €1.83

6.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SEK 15.38

$1.18 €1.04

34.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SEK 76.8

$9.36 €8.19

-15.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 SEK 139

$6.74 €5.90

113.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 SEK 21.25

$1.06 €0.93

107.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.44

$1.67 €1.46

51.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.92 SEK 37.94

$3.19 €2.79

22.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 SEK 879

$67.3 €58.9

35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 SEK 98.2

$4.54 €3.98

123.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 SEK 16.10

$2.97 €2.60

-43.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.6 SEK 595

$46.26 €40.48

33.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.95

$1.99 €1.74

-1.51%

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

$32.2K SEK 311.1K

$31.1K €27.2K

3.34%

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

$35.6K SEK 343.7K

$40.4K €35.4K

-12.09%

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

$140 SEK 1,356

$302 €264

-53.47%

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

$25.00 SEK 242

$28.00 €24.50

-10.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.56 SEK 373

$54.5 €47.64

-29.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 SEK 400

$43.72 €38.25

-5.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 SEK 240

$14.71 €12.87

68.66%

Cinema Ticket

$18.04 SEK 174

$15.58 €13.63

15.79%

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

$178 SEK 1,719

$487 €426

-63.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

$5,147 €4,503

-18.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 866

$105 €91.5

-14.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 SEK 381

$36.59 €32.01

7.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SEK 922

$104 €91.2

-8.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,474

$151 €132

0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$1,167 €1,021

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 SEK 8,314

$832 €728

3.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 SEK 18.1K

$1,916 €1,676

-2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

$1,684 €1,473

-16.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,493 SEK 62.8K

$7,608 €6,656

-14.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

$4,873 €4,263

-28.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,590 SEK 34.7K

$3,225 €2,821

11.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

3.97

9.07%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Freiburg im Breisgau: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Gothenburg versus $1,167 in Freiburg im Breisgau. 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 11% higher in Gothenburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Gothenburg versus $68.0 in Freiburg im Breisgau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $365 – making Freiburg im Breisgau 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 Freiburg im Breisgau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Freiburg im Breisgau is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,094 per month in Gothenburg and $3,378 in Freiburg im Breisgau. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Gothenburg and $68.0 in Freiburg im Breisgau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,063 in Gothenburg and $2,252 in Freiburg im Breisgau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gothenburg, where all-in costs run around $2,063, than in Freiburg im Breisgau at $2,252. In Gothenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freiburg im Breisgau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gothenburg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Freiburg im Breisgau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.