Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Marsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Marsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $1,688 in Marsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Gothenburg versus $2,656 in Marsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,222 in Gothenburg versus $3,623 in Marsta.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 26% more expensive than in Marsta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Marsta 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.76 SEK 132
$13.84 SEK 132
-0.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.9 SEK 879
$69.7 SEK 667
31.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.84 SEK 123
$10.66 SEK 102
20.45%
Cappuccino
$5.06 SEK 48.44
$4.64 SEK 44.42
9.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 SEK 28.14
$2.15 SEK 20.57
36.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 SEK 20.94
$1.94 SEK 18.53
12.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.18 SEK 68.7
$7.27 SEK 69.6
-1.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86 SEK 75.2
$7.31 SEK 70.0
7.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 SEK 17.19
$1.77 SEK 16.96
1.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 SEK 26.50
$3.30 SEK 31.54
-16.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 SEK 30.28
$5.63 SEK 53.9
-43.69%
Eggs
$4.10 SEK 39.18
$3.73 SEK 35.64
9.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.10 SEK 116
$13.87 SEK 133
-12.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.67 SEK 112
$9.68 SEK 92.6
20.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 SEK 170
$17.85 SEK 171
-0.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 SEK 30.88
$3.20 SEK 30.58
0.94%
Banana (1kg)
$2.64 SEK 25.25
$2.71 SEK 25.92
-2.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.22 SEK 30.79
$2.09 SEK 19.97
54.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.37 SEK 41.82
$3.96 SEK 37.92
10.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 SEK 17.41
$1.56 SEK 14.91
16.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 SEK 16.02
$1.62 SEK 15.49
3.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 SEK 19.38
$2.08 SEK 19.89
-2.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 SEK 17.01
$1.92 SEK 18.38
-7.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.50 SEK 81.3
$7.27 SEK 69.5
16.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.55 SEK 139
$10.23 SEK 97.9
42.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 SEK 21.02
$2.04 SEK 19.50
7.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 SEK 22.76
$2.15 SEK 20.55
10.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.85 SEK 36.81
$3.58 SEK 34.28
7.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.8 SEK 849
$82.1 SEK 785
8.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.45 SEK 61.7
$13.80 SEK 132
-53.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 SEK 16.50
$2.13 SEK 20.33
-18.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 SEK 586
$58.9 SEK 563
4.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 SEK 18.22
$1.83 SEK 17.49
3.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K SEK 324.8K
$34.1K SEK 325.8K
-0.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K SEK 328.6K
$34.1K SEK 326.3K
0.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SEK 1,052
$61.9 SEK 593
77.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.66 SEK 188
$28.06 SEK 268
-29.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.30 SEK 347
$41.61 SEK 398
-12.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.94 SEK 363
$38.98 SEK 373
-2.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.89 SEK 248
$26.96 SEK 258
-3.97%
Cinema Ticket
$19.34 SEK 185
$16.55 SEK 158
16.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 SEK 2,196
$226 SEK 2,158
1.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,554 SEK 43.6K
$5,271 SEK 50.4K
-13.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.0 SEK 870
$53.2 SEK 509
70.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.36 SEK 329
$31.97 SEK 306
7.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 SEK 900
$96.7 SEK 925
-2.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 SEK 1,294
$107 SEK 1,024
26.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 SEK 10.2K
$836 SEK 7,994
26.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$961 SEK 9,192
$618 SEK 5,908
55.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,849 SEK 17.7K
$1,416 SEK 13.5K
30.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 SEK 13.8K
$1,073 SEK 10.3K
34.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,496 SEK 62.1K
$4,305 SEK 41.2K
50.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,613 SEK 34.6K
$2,983 SEK 28.5K
21.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Marsta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,639 SEK 34.8K
$4,958 SEK 47.4K
-26.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.2
-4.38%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Marsta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Gothenburg and $836 in Marsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Marsta pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $92.0 in Gothenburg vs $70.0 in Marsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $366 per month, with Marsta 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 Marsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Marsta?
Marsta wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Marsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Marsta?
On paper, salaries run 36% lower in Marsta. 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 Marsta?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Gothenburg versus $836 in Marsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Marsta?
Childcare runs $230 in Gothenburg versus $226 in Marsta. 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 Marsta?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Gothenburg or in Marsta?
At $1,688 in Marsta versus $2,128 in Gothenburg, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Marsta but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Marsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Marsta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Marsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,688 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Marsta hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Marsta?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Marsta 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 Marsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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