Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Lund

For one person, living is cheaper in Lund: $1,754 a month against $2,026 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,026
/mo nomad
Lund
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,754
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Lund

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 Lund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,026 in Gothenburg versus $1,754 in Lund.

  • Gothenburg $2,026
  • Lund $1,754

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,062 in Gothenburg versus $2,901 in Lund.

  • Gothenburg $3,062
  • Lund $2,901

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,099 in Gothenburg versus $4,049 in Lund.

  • Gothenburg $4,099
  • Lund $4,049

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 16% more expensive than in Lund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 50% above, Lund 30% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.13 SEK 130
$12.84 SEK 127
2.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.8 SEK 830
$89.1 SEK 883
-6.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.47 SEK 124
$11.91 SEK 118
4.70%
Cappuccino
$5.03 SEK 49.80
$4.78 SEK 47.40
5.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 SEK 28.14
$2.80 SEK 27.72
1.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 SEK 23.44
$2.04 SEK 20.18
16.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.84 SEK 67.8
$7.74 SEK 76.7
-11.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.51 SEK 74.4
$6.82 SEK 67.5
10.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 SEK 16.68
$1.69 SEK 16.76
-0.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.69 SEK 26.63
$2.55 SEK 25.28
5.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.09 SEK 30.60
$3.40 SEK 33.66
-9.12%
Eggs
$3.81 SEK 37.74
$4.54 SEK 45.03
-16.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.45 SEK 113
$12.29 SEK 122
-6.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.32 SEK 112
$11.47 SEK 114
-1.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.54 SEK 164
$15.45 SEK 153
7.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.42
$3.09 SEK 30.62
-0.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 SEK 23.88
$2.58 SEK 25.60
-6.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.01 SEK 29.83
$2.80 SEK 27.71
7.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 SEK 42.09
$4.64 SEK 45.94
-8.41%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 SEK 17.24
$1.70 SEK 16.82
2.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 SEK 16.06
$1.42 SEK 14.08
14.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 SEK 19.47
$2.58 SEK 25.55
-24.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 SEK 16.30
$1.53 SEK 15.18
7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.38 SEK 83.0
$7.85 SEK 77.8
6.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.69 SEK 146
$11.04 SEK 109
33.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 SEK 20.14
$1.84 SEK 18.26
10.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 SEK 22.24
$2.67 SEK 26.47
-16.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.63 SEK 35.97
$3.17 SEK 31.46
14.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 SEK 857
$63.7 SEK 631
35.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.92 SEK 58.7
$5.06 SEK 50.1
17.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 SEK 17.01
$1.06 SEK 10.52
62.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.6 SEK 581
$40.70 SEK 403
44.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 SEK 17.29
$1.73 SEK 17.11
0.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.5K SEK 331.8K
$32.5K SEK 322.1K
3.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K SEK 331.3K
$32.9K SEK 326.2K
1.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 SEK 1,011
$78.3 SEK 776
30.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.73 SEK 196
$28.05 SEK 278
-29.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.00 SEK 327
$41.44 SEK 411
-20.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.48 SEK 352
$37.30 SEK 370
-4.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.00 SEK 238
$27.43 SEK 272
-12.50%
Cinema Ticket
$18.32 SEK 182
$14.73 SEK 146
24.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$217 SEK 2,147
$157 SEK 1,553
38.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,293 SEK 42.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.5 SEK 867
$79.6 SEK 789
9.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.46 SEK 332
$56.9 SEK 563
-41.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 SEK 862
$101 SEK 996
-13.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 SEK 1,298
$120 SEK 1,192
8.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,026 SEK 10.2K
$827 SEK 8,194
24.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 SEK 8,951
$671 SEK 6,647
34.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,791 SEK 17.7K
$1,746 SEK 17.3K
2.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,409 SEK 14.0K
$1,388 SEK 13.7K
1.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,190 SEK 61.3K
$6,176 SEK 61.2K
0.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,427 SEK 34.0K
$3,468 SEK 34.4K
-1.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Lund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,492 SEK 34.6K
$2,918 SEK 28.9K
19.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.03
0.99%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Lund: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$903
Lund
$671 25.7% $233
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$355
Lund
$353 0.5% $1.6
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$273
Lund
$268 1.9% $5.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$155
Lund
$148 4.5% $7
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$153
Lund
$161 5.4% $8.3
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$115
Lund
$87 24.8% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$72
Lund
$67 7.4% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,026 in Gothenburg and $827 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 20% 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: $84.0 in Gothenburg vs $89.0 in Lund. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $353, with Lund cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Lund
🕒 Local time
01:46 1:46 AM
01:46 1:46 AM
Same time as Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
82,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Lund 240 km
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Lund

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 Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Lund?
Lund wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Lund?
Average pay runs 20% higher in Gothenburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Gothenburg compared to Lund?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,026 in Gothenburg versus $827 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Lund?
Childcare runs $217 in Gothenburg versus $157 in Lund. 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 Lund?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Gothenburg or in Lund?
At $1,754 in Lund versus $2,026 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lund but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Lund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Lund?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lund delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,754 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lund hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Lund?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Lund 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 Lund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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