Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Kista

For one person, living is cheaper in Kista: $1,724 a month against $2,008 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg, Sweden
Kista, Sweden
Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,008
/mo nomad
Kista
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,724
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Kista

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gothenburg and in Kista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,008 in Gothenburg versus $1,724 in Kista.

  • Gothenburg $2,008
  • Kista $1,724

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,067 in Gothenburg versus $2,694 in Kista.

  • Gothenburg $3,067
  • Kista $2,694

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,127 in Gothenburg versus $3,664 in Kista.

  • Gothenburg $4,127
  • Kista $3,664

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 16% more expensive than in Kista, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 48% above, Kista 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.67 SEK 136
$13.46 SEK 134
1.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.7 SEK 861
$75.2 SEK 746
15.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.40 SEK 123
$10.13 SEK 101
22.41%
Cappuccino
$5.04 SEK 50.1
$4.56 SEK 45.29
10.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 SEK 29.66
$2.68 SEK 26.57
11.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 SEK 23.17
$2.19 SEK 21.73
6.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 SEK 68.3
$6.96 SEK 69.2
-1.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57 SEK 75.2
$7.00 SEK 69.5
8.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 SEK 17.17
$1.64 SEK 16.29
5.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.79 SEK 27.69
$2.75 SEK 27.30
1.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 SEK 32.35
$3.44 SEK 34.14
-5.23%
Eggs
$3.90 SEK 38.72
$4.01 SEK 39.83
-2.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.25 SEK 112
$12.21 SEK 121
-7.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.57 SEK 115
$12.11 SEK 120
-4.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.43 SEK 163
$17.14 SEK 170
-4.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 SEK 29.89
$3.03 SEK 30.06
-0.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 SEK 24.35
$2.52 SEK 25.01
-2.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 SEK 28.82
$2.90 SEK 28.81
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.49 SEK 44.62
$4.36 SEK 43.34
2.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 SEK 18.17
$1.61 SEK 16.03
13.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 SEK 16.56
$1.62 SEK 16.12
3.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 SEK 20.35
$2.28 SEK 22.67
-10.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 SEK 15.91
$1.45 SEK 14.42
10.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.35 SEK 82.9
$7.27 SEK 72.3
14.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.18 SEK 151
$9.93 SEK 98.6
52.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.28
$1.94 SEK 19.31
5.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.38
$2.30 SEK 22.81
-2.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.83 SEK 38.01
$3.25 SEK 32.30
17.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 SEK 858
$78.1 SEK 775
10.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.21 SEK 61.6
$6.10 SEK 60.6
1.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.67 SEK 16.57
$1.69 SEK 16.75
-1.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.2 SEK 588
$58.9 SEK 585
0.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 SEK 17.40
$1.79 SEK 17.78
-2.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K SEK 331.8K
$32.7K SEK 324.9K
2.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K SEK 335.6K
$33.8K SEK 335.9K
-0.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 SEK 1,029
$104 SEK 1,031
-0.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.70 SEK 196
$25.86 SEK 257
-23.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.35 SEK 341
$39.31 SEK 390
-12.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.01 SEK 338
$37.24 SEK 370
-8.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.39 SEK 242
$26.02 SEK 258
-6.26%
Cinema Ticket
$16.98 SEK 169
$16.08 SEK 160
5.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 SEK 2,207
$159 SEK 1,583
39.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,336 SEK 43.1K
$5,088 SEK 50.5K
-14.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 SEK 881
$98.4 SEK 977
-9.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.91 SEK 327
$40.15 SEK 399
-18.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 SEK 872
$91.7 SEK 910
-4.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 SEK 1,331
$140 SEK 1,393
-4.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,107 SEK 11.0K
$795 SEK 7,893
39.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$874 SEK 8,678
$598 SEK 5,937
46.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 SEK 18.5K
$1,370 SEK 13.6K
35.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 SEK 13.9K
$1,001 SEK 9,945
39.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,415 SEK 63.7K
$3,976 SEK 39.5K
61.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,026 SEK 40.0K
$2,847 SEK 28.3K
41.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Kista
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,521 SEK 35.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.37
-9.20%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kista: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$874
Kista
$598 31.6% $276
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$360
Kista
$355 1.4% $5.1
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$278
Kista
$261 6% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$158
Kista
$169 7.2% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$155
Kista
$167 7.9% $12
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$116
Kista
$106 9.1% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$68
Kista
$69 2.1% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,107 in Gothenburg and $795 in Kista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $87 in Gothenburg vs $75 in Kista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $355 per month, with Kista cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Kista
🕒 Local time
21:34 9:34 PM
21:34 9:34 PM
Same time as Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
10,254
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.06 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Kista 390 km
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Kista

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Kista?
Kista wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kista the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gothenburg and in Kista?
You’d need roughly $3,012 in Gothenburg and $2,587 in Kista to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gothenburg compared to Kista?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,107 in Gothenburg versus $795 in Kista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Kista?
Childcare runs $222 in Gothenburg versus $159 in Kista. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Gothenburg and in Kista?
Dining out is cheaper in Kista – a meal for two runs $75 versus $87 in Gothenburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gothenburg or in Kista?
At $1,724 in Kista versus $2,008 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kista but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Kista the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Kista?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kista delivers better value at $1,724 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kista hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Kista?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Kista are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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