Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,854 in Lund versus $2,128 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Lund versus $3,175 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,201 in Lund versus $4,222 in Gothenburg.

Living in Lund costs roughly 13% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lund 35% above, Gothenburg 55% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.54 SEK 130
$13.76 SEK 133
-1.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.6 SEK 911
$91.9 SEK 885
2.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.34 SEK 119
$12.84 SEK 124
-3.89%
Cappuccino
$4.79 SEK 46.16
$5.06 SEK 48.77
-5.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 SEK 26.80
$2.94 SEK 28.33
-5.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 SEK 20.45
$2.19 SEK 21.08
-3.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.13 SEK 78.3
$7.18 SEK 69.2
13.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.51 SEK 72.4
$7.86 SEK 75.7
-4.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 SEK 16.68
$1.80 SEK 17.30
-3.89%
White Bread (500g)
$2.74 SEK 26.40
$2.77 SEK 26.68
-1.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.77 SEK 36.31
$3.17 SEK 30.49
18.93%
Eggs
$4.58 SEK 44.13
$4.10 SEK 39.45
11.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 SEK 127
$12.10 SEK 117
8.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.10 SEK 117
$11.67 SEK 112
3.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.47 SEK 168
$17.76 SEK 171
-1.63%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 SEK 30.28
$3.23 SEK 31.09
-2.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.98 SEK 28.73
$2.64 SEK 25.42
12.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 SEK 28.56
$3.22 SEK 31.00
-7.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.82 SEK 46.44
$4.37 SEK 42.11
10.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 SEK 17.94
$1.82 SEK 17.52
2.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.43 SEK 13.81
$1.68 SEK 16.13
-14.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.78 SEK 26.82
$2.03 SEK 19.51
36.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 SEK 14.65
$1.78 SEK 17.13
-14.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.29 SEK 79.8
$8.50 SEK 81.8
-2.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.62 SEK 112
$14.55 SEK 140
-20.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 SEK 19.21
$2.20 SEK 21.16
-9.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 SEK 26.61
$2.38 SEK 22.91
15.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.25 SEK 31.34
$3.85 SEK 37.06
-15.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.2 SEK 638
$88.8 SEK 855
-25.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 SEK 51.7
$6.45 SEK 62.1
-16.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 SEK 11.13
$1.73 SEK 16.62
-32.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.94 SEK 414
$61.3 SEK 590
-29.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 SEK 18.02
$1.90 SEK 18.34
-1.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K SEK 336.9K
$34.0K SEK 327.1K
3.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K SEK 326.5K
$34.4K SEK 330.9K
-1.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.2 SEK 792
$110 SEK 1,060
-25.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.06 SEK 309
$19.66 SEK 189
63.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.65 SEK 420
$36.30 SEK 350
20.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.47 SEK 371
$37.94 SEK 365
1.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.42 SEK 274
$25.89 SEK 249
9.77%
Cinema Ticket
$15.94 SEK 153
$19.34 SEK 186
-17.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$167 SEK 1,610
$230 SEK 2,212
-27.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$4,554 SEK 43.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.8 SEK 816
$91.0 SEK 876
-6.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.7 SEK 584
$34.36 SEK 331
76.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 SEK 1,017
$94.0 SEK 906
12.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 SEK 1,252
$135 SEK 1,303
-3.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$870 SEK 8,380
$1,061 SEK 10.2K
-18.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 SEK 6,891
$961 SEK 9,255
-25.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,824 SEK 17.6K
$1,849 SEK 17.8K
-1.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,449 SEK 14.0K
$1,440 SEK 13.9K
0.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,563 SEK 63.2K
$6,496 SEK 62.6K
1.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,707 SEK 35.7K
$3,613 SEK 34.8K
2.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lund
Gothenburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,096 SEK 29.8K
$3,639 SEK 35.0K
-14.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.03
3.06
-0.98%

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

Last update for Lund: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $870 in Lund and $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 18% 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 Lund vs $92.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $372 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
Lund vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lund or Gothenburg?
Lund wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lund or in Gothenburg?
On paper, salaries run 18% 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 Lund compared to Gothenburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $870 in Lund versus $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lund and in Gothenburg?
Childcare runs $167 in Lund versus $230 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lund or in Gothenburg?
Shoppers in Gothenburg pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lund or in Gothenburg?
At $1,854 in Lund versus $2,128 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lund but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Lund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lund or Gothenburg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lund delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,854 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lund hard to pass up.
How safe is Lund compared to Gothenburg?
Safety-wise, Lund 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 Lund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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