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: $2,134 in Ilmenau versus $1,958 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,121 in Ilmenau versus $2,789 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,109 in Ilmenau versus $3,619 in Boras.

Living in Ilmenau is roughly 9% more expensive than in Boras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilmenau 60% above, Boras 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 €12.99

$12.83 SEK 124

15.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 €61.3

$72.6 SEK 702

-3.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 €7.28

$10.63 SEK 103

-21.73%

Cappuccino

$3.50 €3.06

$4.37 SEK 42.20

-19.91%

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

$3.59 €3.14

$2.22 SEK 21.49

61.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.45

$2.07 SEK 19.98

35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.56 €3.99

$8.15 SEK 78.8

-44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.01

$7.42 SEK 71.8

-53.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.67 SEK 16.17

-39.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 €0.99

$2.15 SEK 20.80

-47.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 €2.81

$3.07 SEK 29.64

4.56%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.22

$4.48 SEK 43.30

-17.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 €12.75

$13.07 SEK 126

11.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.33 €11.66

$11.49 SEK 111

16.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 €16.37

$16.85 SEK 163

11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 €2.52

$2.68 SEK 25.87

7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 €1.29

$2.77 SEK 26.78

-46.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 €2.31

$2.82 SEK 27.25

-6.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 €4.28

$3.77 SEK 36.41

29.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 €0.74

$1.54 SEK 14.90

-45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.62 SEK 15.61

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 €1.57

$1.41 SEK 13.66

27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$1.50 SEK 14.49

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 €8.39

$8.23 SEK 79.6

16.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 €5.63

$9.40 SEK 90.8

-31.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 €0.87

$2.03 SEK 19.63

-51.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.44

$1.73 SEK 16.71

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.51 €3.07

$3.74 SEK 36.11

-6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 €54.6

$86.2 SEK 833

-27.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.71

$6.46 SEK 62.5

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.87 SEK 18.12

20.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.61 €35.53

$62.5 SEK 605

-35.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.96 SEK 18.99

5.61%

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

$31.8K €27.8K

$26.2K SEK 253.1K

21.36%

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

$36.0K €31.5K

$25.4K SEK 245.4K

41.66%

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

$449 €393

$74.9 SEK 724

500.29%

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

$29.40 €25.72

$28.64 SEK 277

2.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 €47.04

$27.88 SEK 269

92.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.23 €35.20

$34.39 SEK 332

16.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.91 €20.04

$23.82 SEK 230

-3.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 €12.34

$15.85 SEK 153

-11.04%

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

$472 €413

$157 SEK 1,516

200.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K €10.2K

$4,162 SEK 40.2K

179.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 €83.5

$81.2 SEK 785

17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.72 €28.63

$39.45 SEK 381

-17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$94.5 SEK 913

33.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €134

$108 SEK 1,044

41.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 €741

$849 SEK 8,210

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 €585

$927 SEK 8,961

-27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 €1,362

$1,384 SEK 13.4K

12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 €1,057

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,357 €2,937

$2,480 SEK 24.0K

35.39%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Boras: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $847 in Ilmenau and $849 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 35% 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: $70.0 in Ilmenau vs $73.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $340 per month, with Ilmenau 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

Ilmenau vs Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boras is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Ilmenau, 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: $847 in Ilmenau versus $849 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,134 per month in Ilmenau versus $1,958 in Boras – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boras runs roughly 38% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,958 in Boras versus $2,134 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 9% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.