Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,865 in Lulea versus $2,063 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,060 in Lulea versus $3,240 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,256 in Lulea versus $4,417 in Gothenburg.

Living in Lulea costs roughly 10% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lulea 40% above, Gothenburg 54% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.56 SEK 121
$13.74 SEK 132
-8.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.6 SEK 911
$91.2 SEK 879
3.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 SEK 112
$10.42 SEK 100
11.32%
Cappuccino
$4.87 SEK 46.91
$4.86 SEK 46.80
0.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 SEK 24.56
$3.08 SEK 29.65
-17.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 SEK 19.01
$2.56 SEK 24.69
-23.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.57 SEK 82.6
$7.43 SEK 71.6
15.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.97 SEK 96.0
$7.72 SEK 74.4
29.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 SEK 18.64
$1.76 SEK 16.94
9.66%
White Bread (500g)
$3.42 SEK 32.98
$2.87 SEK 27.70
19.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.07 SEK 48.86
$3.34 SEK 32.20
51.80%
Eggs
$4.74 SEK 45.70
$4.63 SEK 44.66
2.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 SEK 123
$11.67 SEK 113
9.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.05 SEK 135
$12.41 SEK 120
13.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$28.00 SEK 270
$18.65 SEK 180
50.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 SEK 25.15
$3.07 SEK 29.63
-14.98%
Banana (1kg)
$2.76 SEK 26.58
$2.64 SEK 25.48
4.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.60 SEK 25.03
$2.93 SEK 28.21
-11.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.36 SEK 42.04
$4.31 SEK 41.54
1.16%
Potato (1kg)
$2.23 SEK 21.48
$1.76 SEK 16.92
26.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 SEK 15.95
$1.87 SEK 18.05
-11.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.48 SEK 33.52
$2.22 SEK 21.35
56.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SEK 13.84
$1.59 SEK 15.33
-9.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.42 SEK 71.5
$7.94 SEK 76.6
-6.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.34 SEK 119
$14.36 SEK 138
-14.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 SEK 18.15
$2.20 SEK 21.19
-14.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 SEK 17.87
$2.53 SEK 24.36
-26.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 SEK 32.35
$3.92 SEK 37.82
-14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$58.3 SEK 562
$90.9 SEK 876
-35.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.54 SEK 91.9
$10.16 SEK 97.9
-6.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 SEK 16.68
$1.67 SEK 16.05
3.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$74.5 SEK 718
$61.6 SEK 593
20.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 18.22
$1.96 SEK 18.89
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K SEK 310.2K
$32.2K SEK 310.1K
0.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K SEK 343.7K
$35.6K SEK 342.7K
0.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 SEK 1,692
$140 SEK 1,352
25.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.87 SEK 307
$25.00 SEK 241
27.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.56 SEK 275
$38.56 SEK 372
-25.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.58 SEK 468
$41.38 SEK 399
17.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.54 SEK 352
$24.81 SEK 239
47.28%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 SEK 132
$18.04 SEK 174
-23.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$163 SEK 1,566
$178 SEK 1,714
-8.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,827 SEK 56.2K
$4,177 SEK 40.2K
39.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$124 SEK 1,190
$89.5 SEK 863
37.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.60 SEK 324
$39.39 SEK 380
-14.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 SEK 1,252
$95.4 SEK 919
36.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$170 SEK 1,643
$153 SEK 1,470
11.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$806 SEK 7,765
$1,096 SEK 10.6K
-26.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$589 SEK 5,675
$860 SEK 8,288
-31.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,441 SEK 13.9K
$1,875 SEK 18.1K
-23.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 SEK 10.4K
$1,404 SEK 13.5K
-23.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,107 SEK 29.9K
$6,493 SEK 62.6K
-52.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,323 SEK 22.4K
$3,504 SEK 33.8K
-33.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lulea
Gothenburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,654 SEK 25.6K
$3,590 SEK 34.6K
-26.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.2
4.33
-3.00%

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

Last update for Lulea: July 11, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $806 in Lulea and $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg 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: $95.0 in Lulea vs $91.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 vs $377 per month, with Gothenburg 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
Lulea vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lulea or Gothenburg?
Lulea wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lulea the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lulea or in Gothenburg?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Gothenburg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lulea compared to Gothenburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $806 in Lulea versus $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lulea and in Gothenburg?
Childcare runs $163 in Lulea versus $178 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lulea or in Gothenburg?
Shoppers in Gothenburg pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lulea or in Gothenburg?
At $1,865 in Lulea versus $2,063 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lulea but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Lulea the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lulea or Gothenburg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lulea delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,865 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lulea hard to pass up.
How safe is Lulea compared to Gothenburg?
Safety-wise, Lulea 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lulea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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