Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilmenau and Boras Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilmenau and Boras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,106 in Ilmenau versus $1,947 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,141 in Ilmenau versus $2,766 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,176 in Ilmenau versus $3,586 in Boras.

Living in Ilmenau is roughly 8% more expensive than Boras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilmenau 57% above, Boras 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.28 €13.16

$12.77 SEK 120

19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.7

$70.4 SEK 661

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 €6.85

$10.65 SEK 100

-25.35%

Cappuccino

$3.42 €2.94

$4.56 SEK 42.84

-25.00%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 €3.14

$2.24 SEK 21.03

62.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.45

$2.14 SEK 20.14

33.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.00

$7.94 SEK 74.6

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.01

$7.27 SEK 68.3

-51.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.67 SEK 15.68

-37.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 €0.98

$2.23 SEK 20.96

-49.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 €2.67

$3.04 SEK 28.52

2.30%

Eggs

$3.73 €3.21

$4.50 SEK 42.28

-17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 €12.45

$13.10 SEK 123

10.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 €11.43

$11.63 SEK 109

14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 €15.78

$17.39 SEK 163

5.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.69 SEK 25.30

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.87 SEK 26.96

-46.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$2.81 SEK 26.42

-6.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 €4.41

$3.59 SEK 33.68

42.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.61 SEK 15.16

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.60 SEK 15.04

-0.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.42 SEK 13.34

28.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.46 SEK 13.76

-37.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 €8.10

$8.24 SEK 77.4

14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 €5.48

$9.83 SEK 92.4

-35.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 €0.83

$1.94 SEK 18.25

-50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.71 SEK 16.09

-8.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.02

$3.73 SEK 35.05

-5.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 €53.4

$86.6 SEK 813

-28.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 €4.81

$6.18 SEK 58.0

-9.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 €1.88

$1.89 SEK 17.79

15.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.21 €34.62

$63.9 SEK 600

-37.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.90 SEK 17.88

6.84%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.2K €26.9K

$26.3K SEK 247.1K

18.57%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.1K €30.2K

$25.0K SEK 235.0K

40.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$443 €381

$75.9 SEK 713

483.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.12 €25.94

$28.10 SEK 264

7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 €46.23

$27.50 SEK 258

95.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.31 €33.85

$34.14 SEK 321

15.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.94 €19.75

$23.96 SEK 225

-4.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 €12.13

$15.89 SEK 149

-11.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$455 €392

$160 SEK 1,506

183.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.1K

$4,124 SEK 38.7K

185.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €83.7

$81.5 SEK 766

19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 €28.35

$40.01 SEK 376

-17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 €107

$95.3 SEK 895

29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €131

$110 SEK 1,034

38.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 €713

$846 SEK 7,943

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 €584

$902 SEK 8,475

-24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 €1,342

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 €1,069

$1,096 SEK 10.3K

13.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 SEK 37.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 SEK 31.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,410 €2,936

$2,547 SEK 23.9K

33.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

4.8

-19.37%

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

Last update for Ilmenau: June 2, 2026

Last update for Boras: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Ilmenau and $846 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 34% 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: $71.0 in Ilmenau vs $70.0 in Boras. Groceries flip the comparison at $319 vs $343, with Ilmenau cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ilmenau vs Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boras is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ilmenau pays 34% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $828 in Ilmenau versus $846 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,106 per month in Ilmenau versus $1,947 in Boras – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 40% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,947 in Boras versus $2,106 in Ilmenau, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Boras but tight or insufficient in Ilmenau. The gap between the two cities makes Boras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ilmenau and Boras are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Boras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.