Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Sundsvall

For one person, living is cheaper in Sundsvall: $1,720 a month against $2,044 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,044
/mo nomad
Sundsvall
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,720
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Sundsvall

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,044 in Gothenburg versus $1,720 in Sundsvall.

  • Gothenburg $2,044
  • Sundsvall $1,720

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,078 in Gothenburg versus $2,620 in Sundsvall.

  • Gothenburg $3,078
  • Sundsvall $2,620

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,113 in Gothenburg versus $3,520 in Sundsvall.

  • Gothenburg $4,113
  • Sundsvall $3,520

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 19% more expensive than in Sundsvall, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 51% above, Sundsvall 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.77 SEK 136
$15.10 SEK 150
-8.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$87.4 SEK 866
$79.4 SEK 787
10.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.41 SEK 123
$11.04 SEK 109
12.41%
Cappuccino
$4.87 SEK 48.30
$4.78 SEK 47.37
1.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 SEK 28.62
$2.36 SEK 23.39
22.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 SEK 23.76
$1.93 SEK 19.12
24.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.03 SEK 69.6
$8.37 SEK 82.9
-16.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.69 SEK 76.2
$7.65 SEK 75.8
0.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 SEK 16.58
$1.52 SEK 15.10
9.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.70 SEK 26.73
$3.03 SEK 30.04
-10.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.16 SEK 31.32
$3.62 SEK 35.88
-12.71%
Eggs
$3.86 SEK 38.28
$3.46 SEK 34.30
11.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.53 SEK 114
$9.66 SEK 95.7
19.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.57 SEK 115
$9.68 SEK 95.9
19.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.35 SEK 162
$17.59 SEK 174
-7.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 SEK 29.92
$2.80 SEK 27.75
7.86%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 SEK 23.90
$2.34 SEK 23.15
2.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.00 SEK 29.77
$2.51 SEK 24.89
19.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.45 SEK 44.10
$3.85 SEK 38.12
15.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.77 SEK 17.51
$1.44 SEK 14.31
22.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 SEK 16.80
$1.38 SEK 13.63
23.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.04 SEK 20.22
$1.77 SEK 17.50
15.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 SEK 16.05
$0.93 SEK 9.25
74.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.32 SEK 82.4
$7.28 SEK 72.1
14.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.06 SEK 149
$9.33 SEK 92.4
61.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.21
$1.69 SEK 16.75
20.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.24
$1.38 SEK 13.64
63.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.84 SEK 38.05
$3.42 SEK 33.91
12.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$87.5 SEK 867
$87.5 SEK 867
0.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.33 SEK 62.7
$6.10 SEK 60.5
3.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 SEK 16.38
$5.94 SEK 58.9
-72.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.6 SEK 591
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 SEK 17.28
$1.68 SEK 16.69
3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K SEK 336.0K
$31.3K SEK 309.8K
8.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K SEK 337.3K
$30.9K SEK 306.0K
10.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$106 SEK 1,046
$99.4 SEK 985
6.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.51 SEK 193
$28.79 SEK 285
-32.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.69 SEK 334
$37.38 SEK 370
-9.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.23 SEK 349
$41.61 SEK 412
-15.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.38 SEK 242
$16.34 SEK 162
49.20%
Cinema Ticket
$17.18 SEK 170
$14.30 SEK 142
20.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 SEK 2,186
$138 SEK 1,365
60.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,412 SEK 43.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.2 SEK 883
$94.7 SEK 939
-5.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.97 SEK 327
$19.86 SEK 197
66.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.3 SEK 874
$67.7 SEK 670
30.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 SEK 1,301
$126 SEK 1,246
4.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 SEK 10.4K
$678 SEK 6,716
54.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$908 SEK 8,998
$606 SEK 6,009
49.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,809 SEK 17.9K
$1,187 SEK 11.8K
52.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,383 SEK 13.7K
$880 SEK 8,723
57.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,137 SEK 60.8K
$2,439 SEK 24.2K
151.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,523 SEK 34.9K
$1,679 SEK 16.6K
109.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Sundsvall
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,594 SEK 35.6K
$2,940 SEK 29.1K
22.24%
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: October 18, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$908
Sundsvall
$606 33.2% $302
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$358
Sundsvall
$317 11.6% $42
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$278
Sundsvall
$286 2.9% $8.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$159
Sundsvall
$166 4.3% $6.8
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$154
Sundsvall
$139 9.9% $15
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$117
Sundsvall
$137 16.6% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$70
Sundsvall
$70 0.9% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Gothenburg and $678 in Sundsvall. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 22% 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: $87.0 in Gothenburg vs $79.0 in Sundsvall for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $317 per month, with Sundsvall cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sundsvall
🕒 Local time
13:38 1:38 PM
13:38 1:38 PM
Same time as Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
57,606
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 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 Sundsvall 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Sundsvall

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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Sundsvall?
Sundsvall wins on cost – living expenses run 19% 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 22% 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: $1,046 in Gothenburg versus $678 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 $221 in Gothenburg versus $138 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 13% 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 $1,720 in Sundsvall versus $2,044 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 $1,720 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 19% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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