Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Kingston upon Thames Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Kingston upon Thames

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Gothenburg versus $4,925 in Kingston upon Thames.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,222 in Gothenburg versus $6,400 in Kingston upon Thames.

Living in Gothenburg costs roughly 38% less than in Kingston upon Thames, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Kingston upon Thames 151% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.76 SEK 133
$22.44 £16.64
-38.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.9 SEK 885
$87.1 £64.6
5.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.84 SEK 124
$11.01 £8.17
16.62%
Cappuccino
$5.06 SEK 48.77
$5.61 £4.16
-9.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 SEK 28.33
$3.06 £2.27
-3.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 SEK 21.08
$1.82 £1.35
20.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.18 SEK 69.2
$9.62 £7.13
-25.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86 SEK 75.7
$8.86 £6.57
-11.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 SEK 17.30
$1.75 £1.30
2.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 SEK 26.68
$1.73 £1.28
60.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 SEK 30.49
$2.42 £1.80
30.99%
Eggs
$4.10 SEK 39.45
$5.06 £3.76
-18.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.10 SEK 117
$8.85 £6.56
36.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.67 SEK 112
$8.77 £6.50
33.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 SEK 171
$13.23 £9.81
34.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 SEK 31.09
$3.35 £2.49
-3.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.64 SEK 25.42
$1.42 £1.06
85.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.22 SEK 31.00
$2.57 £1.91
25.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.37 SEK 42.11
$2.82 £2.09
54.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 SEK 17.52
$1.70 £1.26
7.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 SEK 16.13
$1.84 £1.36
-8.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 SEK 19.51
$1.28 £0.95
58.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 SEK 17.13
$1.81 £1.34
-1.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.50 SEK 81.8
$24.17 £17.93
-64.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.55 SEK 140
$9.51 £7.06
53.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 SEK 21.16
$3.21 £2.38
-31.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 SEK 22.91
$4.53 £3.36
-47.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.85 SEK 37.06
$2.32 £1.72
65.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.8 SEK 855
$44.12 £32.72
101.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.45 SEK 62.1
$4.91 £3.65
31.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 SEK 16.62
$1.46 £1.08
18.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 SEK 590
$24.58 £18.23
149.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 SEK 18.34
$1.98 £1.47
-4.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K SEK 327.1K
$39.8K £29.5K
-14.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K SEK 330.9K
$41.8K £31.0K
-17.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SEK 1,060
$365 £271
-69.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.66 SEK 189
$15.96 £11.84
23.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.30 SEK 350
$42.50 £31.53
-14.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.94 SEK 365
$104 £77.4
-63.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.89 SEK 249
$10.93 £8.11
136.87%
Cinema Ticket
$19.34 SEK 186
$20.72 £15.37
-6.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 SEK 2,212
$2,729 £2,024
-91.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,554 SEK 43.9K
$22.6K £16.8K
-79.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.0 SEK 876
$116 £85.7
-21.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.36 SEK 331
$54.1 £40.12
-36.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 SEK 906
$80.1 £59.4
17.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 SEK 1,303
$107 £79.4
26.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 SEK 10.2K
$2,066 £1,532
-48.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$961 SEK 9,255
$1,879 £1,394
-48.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,849 SEK 17.8K
$3,730 £2,766
-50.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 SEK 13.9K
$3,235 £2,399
-55.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,496 SEK 62.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,613 SEK 34.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Kingston upon Thames
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,639 SEK 35.0K
$5,416 £4,017
-32.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
4.84
-36.78%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kingston upon Thames: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Gothenburg and $2,066 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston upon Thames pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in Gothenburg vs $87.0 in Kingston upon Thames for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $304 per month, with Kingston upon Thames 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 Kingston upon Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Kingston upon Thames?
Gothenburg wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Kingston upon Thames. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gothenburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Kingston upon Thames?
On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Kingston upon Thames. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gothenburg compared to Kingston upon Thames?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Gothenburg versus $2,066 in Kingston upon Thames. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Kingston upon Thames?
Childcare runs $230 in Gothenburg versus $2,729 in Kingston upon Thames. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Gothenburg or in Kingston upon Thames?
Shoppers in Kingston upon Thames pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gothenburg or in Kingston upon Thames?
At $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $3,449 in Kingston upon Thames, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Kingston upon Thames. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Kingston upon Thames?
Both work as nomad bases, but Gothenburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,128 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gothenburg hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Kingston upon Thames?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Kingston upon Thames are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Kingston upon Thames. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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