Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $2,042 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,042
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Mexico City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,042 in Gothenburg versus $1,561 in Mexico City.

  • Gothenburg $2,042
  • Mexico City $1,561

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,064 in Gothenburg versus $2,440 in Mexico City.

  • Gothenburg $3,064
  • Mexico City $2,440

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,086 in Gothenburg versus $3,319 in Mexico City.

  • Gothenburg $4,086
  • Mexico City $3,319

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 52% above, Mexico City 16% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.84 SEK 128
$11.12 MX$204
15.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.5 SEK 834
$48.99 MX$900
70.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.20 SEK 122
$11.23 MX$206
8.64%
Cappuccino
$4.81 SEK 48.09
$3.76 MX$69.0
27.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 SEK 28.09
$1.65 MX$30.34
70.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.46
$1.28 MX$23.48
75.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.07 SEK 70.7
$3.26 MX$59.8
116.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.29 SEK 72.8
$5.66 MX$104
28.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 SEK 16.48
$1.81 MX$33.23
-8.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.81 SEK 28.12
$2.94 MX$54.0
-4.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.23 SEK 32.25
$2.05 MX$37.62
57.56%
Eggs
$3.75 SEK 37.44
$2.93 MX$53.7
27.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.21 SEK 112
$11.95 MX$219
-6.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.49 SEK 115
$9.51 MX$175
20.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.27 SEK 163
$14.84 MX$273
9.64%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 SEK 29.85
$3.14 MX$57.7
-4.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 SEK 24.98
$2.01 MX$36.99
24.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.98 SEK 29.79
$2.08 MX$38.10
43.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.33 SEK 43.27
$2.22 MX$40.72
95.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 SEK 18.03
$2.06 MX$37.82
-12.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 SEK 16.86
$1.88 MX$34.46
-10.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 SEK 19.66
$1.48 MX$27.18
33.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 SEK 15.74
$1.35 MX$24.70
16.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.17 SEK 81.6
$5.41 MX$99.3
51.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.70 SEK 147
$16.86 MX$310
-12.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 SEK 19.88
$1.98 MX$36.43
0.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 SEK 22.41
$4.32 MX$79.4
-48.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.59 SEK 35.89
$0.34 MX$6.33
955.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 SEK 863
$20.23 MX$371
326.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.03 SEK 60.2
$2.10 MX$38.47
187.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 SEK 16.43
$0.53 MX$9.74
209.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$58.9 SEK 588
$5.41 MX$99.3
988.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 SEK 17.24
$1.52 MX$27.91
13.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K SEK 323.7K
$21.7K MX$399.0K
49.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K SEK 333.7K
$24.8K MX$455.6K
34.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 SEK 1,012
$63.0 MX$1,156
60.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.36 SEK 193
$28.88 MX$530
-32.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.87 SEK 338
$33.93 MX$623
-0.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.60 SEK 346
$55.8 MX$1,024
-37.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.33 SEK 243
$24.90 MX$457
-2.29%
Cinema Ticket
$18.36 SEK 183
$6.77 MX$124
171.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 SEK 2,229
$428 MX$7,854
-47.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,448 SEK 44.5K
$11.9K MX$218.0K
-62.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 SEK 869
$70.0 MX$1,286
24.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.02 SEK 330
$53.7 MX$986
-38.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.8 SEK 857
$110 MX$2,016
-21.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 SEK 1,323
$115 MX$2,115
14.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,035 SEK 10.3K
$1,062 MX$19.5K
-2.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$928 SEK 9,273
$671 MX$12.3K
38.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,768 SEK 17.7K
$2,379 MX$43.7K
-25.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,386 SEK 13.8K
$1,260 MX$23.1K
9.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,117 SEK 61.1K
$3,716 MX$68.2K
64.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,377 SEK 33.8K
$1,976 MX$36.3K
70.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,444 SEK 34.4K
$997 MX$18.3K
245.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
11.3
-72.92%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 3, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$928
Mexico City
$671 27.7% $257
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$355
Mexico City
$327 8% $28
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$267
Mexico City
$207 22.5% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$155
Mexico City
$126 18.6% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$152
Mexico City
$157 3.2% $4.8
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$115
Mexico City
$26 77.1% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$71
Mexico City
$69 2.8% $2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,035 in Gothenburg and $1,062 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 246% 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: $83.0 in Gothenburg vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $327 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
12:40 12:40 PM
04:40 4:40 AM
8 h behind Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.2 SEK (100 SEK = 8.93 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Mexico City 9,370 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Mexico City

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Mexico City?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Mexico City?
Average pay runs 246% 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 Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,035 in Gothenburg versus $1,062 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Mexico City?
Childcare runs $223 in Gothenburg versus $428 in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 Mexico City?
At $1,561 in Mexico City versus $2,042 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Mexico City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,561 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Mexico City?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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