Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Charles, LA and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Charles, LA and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,217 in Lake Charles, LA versus $2,128 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,206 in Lake Charles, LA versus $3,175 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,194 in Lake Charles, LA versus $4,222 in Gothenburg.

Living in Lake Charles, LA is roughly 4% more expensive than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lake Charles, LA 61% above, Gothenburg 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$13.76 SEK 132

83.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 $69.6

$91.9 SEK 879

-24.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 $11.22

$12.84 SEK 123

-12.62%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.06 SEK 48.43

4.74%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$2.94 SEK 28.13

-32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.19 SEK 20.93

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$7.18 SEK 68.7

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$7.86 SEK 75.2

-21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.80 SEK 17.18

-26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.77 SEK 26.50

46.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.17 SEK 30.28

99.37%

Eggs

$5.50 $5.50

$4.10 SEK 39.18

34.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$12.10 SEK 116

35.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$11.67 SEK 112

-13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$17.76 SEK 170

-11.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.23 SEK 30.88

33.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.64 SEK 25.25

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.22 SEK 30.78

-40.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.37 SEK 41.82

25.63%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.82 SEK 17.40

134.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.68 SEK 16.02

30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.03 SEK 19.38

7.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 SEK 17.01

42.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$8.50 SEK 81.3

2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.89 $16.89

$14.55 SEK 139

16.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.20 SEK 21.01

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.38 SEK 22.75

62.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.85 SEK 36.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 SEK 849

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$6.45 SEK 61.7

-47.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.73 SEK 16.50

-12.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.44 $34.44

$61.3 SEK 586

-43.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.90 SEK 18.22

-56.84%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$34.0K SEK 324.8K

3.78%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$34.4K SEK 328.6K

-25.34%

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

$265 $265

$110 SEK 1,052

140.84%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$19.66 SEK 188

250.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.0 $58.0

$36.30 SEK 347

59.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 $31.55

$37.94 SEK 363

-16.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.28 $14.28

$25.89 SEK 248

-44.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 $11.81

$19.34 SEK 185

-38.93%

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

$1,581 $1,581

$230 SEK 2,196

588.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$4,554 SEK 43.6K

127.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.66 $24.66

$91.0 SEK 870

-72.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 $42.70

$34.36 SEK 329

24.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 $60.4

$94.0 SEK 899

-35.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$135 SEK 1,294

-11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 $1,009

$1,061 SEK 10.2K

-4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 $896

$961 SEK 9,191

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 $1,517

$1,849 SEK 17.7K

-17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 $1,257

$1,440 SEK 13.8K

-12.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,398 $1,398

$6,496 SEK 62.1K

-78.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,367 $1,367

$3,613 SEK 34.6K

-62.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,698 $3,698

$3,639 SEK 34.8K

1.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

3.06

98.37%

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

Last update for Lake Charles, LA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,009 in Lake Charles, LA and $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lake Charles, LA pays 2% 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 Lake Charles, LA vs $92.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $423 vs $372, with Gothenburg 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

Lake Charles, LA vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gothenburg wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Lake Charles, LA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gothenburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Lake Charles, LA, 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: $1,009 in Lake Charles, LA versus $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,581 in Lake Charles, LA versus $230 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gothenburg – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $70.0 in Lake Charles, LA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,128 in Gothenburg versus $2,217 in Lake Charles, LA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gothenburg but tight or insufficient in Lake Charles, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Gothenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gothenburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,128 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gothenburg hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lake Charles, LA and Gothenburg 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 Gothenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lake Charles, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.