Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Vaxjo

For one person, living is cheaper in Vaxjo: $1,665 a month against $2,008 in Gothenburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gothenburg, Sweden
Vaxjo, Sweden
Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,008
/mo nomad
Vaxjo
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,665
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gothenburg and in Vaxjo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,008 in Gothenburg versus $1,665 in Vaxjo.

  • Gothenburg $2,008
  • Vaxjo $1,665

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,067 in Gothenburg versus $2,500 in Vaxjo.

  • Gothenburg $3,067
  • Vaxjo $2,500

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,127 in Gothenburg versus $3,335 in Vaxjo.

  • Gothenburg $4,127
  • Vaxjo $3,335

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 21% more expensive than in Vaxjo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 48% above, Vaxjo 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.67 SEK 134
$13.39 SEK 132
2.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.7 SEK 851
$66.2 SEK 650
30.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.40 SEK 122
$9.95 SEK 97.7
24.62%
Cappuccino
$5.04 SEK 49.51
$4.04 SEK 39.64
24.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 SEK 29.33
$1.52 SEK 14.92
96.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 SEK 22.91
$1.32 SEK 12.94
76.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.88 SEK 67.6
$7.04 SEK 69.2
-2.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57 SEK 74.4
$6.50 SEK 63.9
16.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 SEK 16.98
$1.71 SEK 16.75
1.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.79 SEK 27.38
$2.50 SEK 24.54
11.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 SEK 31.99
$3.88 SEK 38.06
-15.98%
Eggs
$3.90 SEK 38.28
$4.38 SEK 43.03
-10.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.25 SEK 110
$13.31 SEK 131
-15.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.57 SEK 114
$10.59 SEK 104
9.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.43 SEK 161
$11.83 SEK 116
38.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 SEK 29.56
$3.28 SEK 32.16
-8.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 SEK 24.08
$1.97 SEK 19.33
24.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 SEK 28.49
$2.00 SEK 19.60
45.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.49 SEK 44.12
$4.81 SEK 47.25
-6.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 SEK 17.96
$1.42 SEK 13.92
28.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 SEK 16.37
$1.53 SEK 15.00
9.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 SEK 20.12
$2.21 SEK 21.74
-7.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 SEK 15.73
$1.37 SEK 13.48
16.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.35 SEK 82.0
$7.30 SEK 71.6
14.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.18 SEK 149
$7.54 SEK 74.1
101.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.05
$1.91 SEK 18.79
6.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.13
$1.64 SEK 16.13
37.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.83 SEK 37.58
$3.16 SEK 31.01
21.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 SEK 848
$66.3 SEK 651
30.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.21 SEK 60.9
$8.00 SEK 78.5
-22.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.67 SEK 16.39
$1.96 SEK 19.22
-14.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.2 SEK 581
$80.0 SEK 786
-26.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 SEK 17.21
$1.68 SEK 16.46
4.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K SEK 328.1K
$33.4K SEK 328.0K
0.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K SEK 331.9K
$32.7K SEK 321.2K
3.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 SEK 1,017
$88.9 SEK 873
16.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.70 SEK 193
$29.71 SEK 292
-33.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.35 SEK 337
$30.34 SEK 298
13.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.01 SEK 334
$35.47 SEK 348
-4.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.39 SEK 240
$20.40 SEK 200
19.56%
Cinema Ticket
$16.98 SEK 167
$16.15 SEK 159
5.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 SEK 2,182
$153 SEK 1,505
44.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,336 SEK 42.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 SEK 871
$100 SEK 986
-11.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.91 SEK 323
$29.84 SEK 293
10.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 SEK 862
$71.5 SEK 702
22.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134 SEK 1,316
$85.8 SEK 842
56.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,107 SEK 10.9K
$812 SEK 7,969
36.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$874 SEK 8,580
$653 SEK 6,412
33.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 SEK 18.3K
$1,499 SEK 14.7K
24.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,400 SEK 13.7K
$944 SEK 9,265
48.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,415 SEK 63.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,026 SEK 39.5K
$2,523 SEK 24.8K
59.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gothenburg
Vaxjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,521 SEK 34.6K
$3,119 SEK 30.6K
12.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.06
4.13
-25.91%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: October 27, 2026

Last update for Vaxjo: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gothenburg
$874
Vaxjo
$653 25.3% $221
Groceries & Markets
Gothenburg
$360
Vaxjo
$324 9.9% $36
Eating Out
Gothenburg
$278
Vaxjo
$245 11.8% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gothenburg
$158
Vaxjo
$149 5.5% $8.8
Clothing & Footwear
Gothenburg
$155
Vaxjo
$129 16.3% $25
Getting Around
Gothenburg
$116
Vaxjo
$97 16.8% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Gothenburg
$68
Vaxjo
$68 0.3% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,107 in Gothenburg and $812 in Vaxjo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 13% 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 in Gothenburg vs $66 in Vaxjo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $324 per month, with Vaxjo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Gothenburg
🇸🇪 Vaxjo
🕒 Local time
08:02 8:02 AM
08:02 8:02 AM
Same time as Gothenburg
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
607,882
55,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.82 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gothenburg Vaxjo 190 km
From you
  • Gothenburg
  • Vaxjo

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 Vaxjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gothenburg or Vaxjo?
Vaxjo wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Vaxjo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Gothenburg or in Vaxjo?
Average pay runs 13% 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 Vaxjo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,107 in Gothenburg versus $812 in Vaxjo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Gothenburg and in Vaxjo?
Childcare runs $222 in Gothenburg versus $153 in Vaxjo. 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 Vaxjo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 Vaxjo?
At $1,665 in Vaxjo versus $2,008 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vaxjo but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Vaxjo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Gothenburg or Vaxjo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Vaxjo delivers better value at $1,665 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Vaxjo hard to pass up.
How safe is Gothenburg compared to Vaxjo?
Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Vaxjo are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Vaxjo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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