Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Sundsvall Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Sundsvall

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $1,807 in Sundsvall.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Gothenburg versus $2,745 in Sundsvall.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,222 in Gothenburg versus $3,684 in Sundsvall.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 18% more expensive than in Sundsvall, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Sundsvall 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.76 SEK 131
$15.45 SEK 147
-10.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$91.9 SEK 876
$82.3 SEK 784
11.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.84 SEK 122
$11.47 SEK 109
11.94%
Cappuccino
$5.06 SEK 48.28
$4.86 SEK 46.38
4.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 SEK 28.04
$2.51 SEK 23.94
17.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 SEK 20.87
$1.98 SEK 18.85
10.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.18 SEK 68.5
$8.83 SEK 84.2
-18.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86 SEK 74.9
$7.85 SEK 74.8
0.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 SEK 17.13
$1.56 SEK 14.86
15.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 SEK 26.41
$3.07 SEK 29.31
-9.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 SEK 30.19
$3.69 SEK 35.19
-14.09%
Eggs
$4.10 SEK 39.06
$3.52 SEK 33.61
16.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.10 SEK 115
$10.03 SEK 95.7
20.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.67 SEK 111
$10.12 SEK 96.5
15.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 SEK 169
$18.16 SEK 173
-2.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 SEK 30.78
$2.75 SEK 26.19
17.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.64 SEK 25.17
$2.42 SEK 23.11
9.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.22 SEK 30.69
$2.61 SEK 24.90
23.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.37 SEK 41.69
$4.13 SEK 39.35
5.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 SEK 17.35
$1.53 SEK 14.58
18.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 SEK 15.97
$1.41 SEK 13.44
19.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 SEK 19.32
$1.84 SEK 17.57
10.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 SEK 16.95
$0.98 SEK 9.30
81.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.50 SEK 81.0
$7.78 SEK 74.1
9.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.55 SEK 139
$9.49 SEK 90.5
53.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 SEK 20.95
$1.74 SEK 16.59
26.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 SEK 22.68
$1.43 SEK 13.62
66.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.85 SEK 36.69
$3.51 SEK 33.45
9.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.8 SEK 847
$90.7 SEK 865
-2.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.45 SEK 61.5
$6.21 SEK 59.2
3.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 SEK 16.45
$6.41 SEK 61.1
-73.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 SEK 584
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 SEK 18.16
$1.85 SEK 17.60
2.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K SEK 323.8K
$32.2K SEK 307.0K
5.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K SEK 327.6K
$32.5K SEK 309.4K
5.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$110 SEK 1,049
$102 SEK 976
7.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.66 SEK 187
$29.85 SEK 285
-34.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.30 SEK 346
$31.63 SEK 302
14.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.94 SEK 362
$41.82 SEK 399
-9.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.89 SEK 247
$12.69 SEK 121
104.02%
Cinema Ticket
$19.34 SEK 184
$14.33 SEK 137
34.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 SEK 2,189
$145 SEK 1,384
58.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,554 SEK 43.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.0 SEK 867
$91.8 SEK 876
-0.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.36 SEK 328
$29.13 SEK 278
17.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 SEK 897
$78.6 SEK 749
19.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 SEK 1,290
$138 SEK 1,320
-2.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 SEK 10.1K
$701 SEK 6,682
51.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$961 SEK 9,162
$631 SEK 6,020
52.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,849 SEK 17.6K
$1,230 SEK 11.7K
50.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,440 SEK 13.7K
$926 SEK 8,833
55.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,496 SEK 61.9K
$2,516 SEK 24.0K
158.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,613 SEK 34.5K
$1,357 SEK 12.9K
166.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,639 SEK 34.7K
$3,141 SEK 29.9K
15.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
3.88
-21.13%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Gothenburg and $701 in Sundsvall. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 16% 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 $82.0 in Sundsvall for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $327 per month, with Sundsvall 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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Sundsvall?
Sundsvall wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sundsvall the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Sundsvall?
Average pay runs 16% 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 Sundsvall?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Gothenburg versus $701 in Sundsvall. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Sundsvall?
Childcare runs $230 in Gothenburg versus $145 in Sundsvall. 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 Sundsvall?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Gothenburg or in Sundsvall?
At $1,807 in Sundsvall versus $2,128 in Gothenburg, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sundsvall but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Sundsvall the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Sundsvall?
Both work as nomad bases, but Sundsvall delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,807 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sundsvall hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Sundsvall?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Sundsvall 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 Sundsvall gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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