🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,836 in Ostersund versus $2,128 in Gothenburg.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,835 in Ostersund versus $3,175 in Gothenburg.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,833 in Ostersund versus $4,222 in Gothenburg.
🌍Living in Ostersund costs roughly 14% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ostersund34% above, Gothenburg55% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.10SEK 136
$13.76SEK 133
2.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.2SEK 772
$91.9SEK 885
-12.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.60SEK 102
$12.84SEK 124
-17.45%
Cappuccino
$4.72SEK 45.46
$5.06SEK 48.77
-6.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80SEK 26.96
$2.94SEK 28.33
-4.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19SEK 21.07
$2.19SEK 21.08
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.18SEK 69.2
$7.18SEK 69.2
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.47SEK 71.9
$7.86SEK 75.7
-4.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56SEK 14.98
$1.80SEK 17.30
-13.33%
White Bread(500g)
$3.12SEK 30.06
$2.77SEK 26.68
12.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.99SEK 48.09
$3.17SEK 30.49
57.41%
Eggs
$3.45SEK 33.24
$4.10SEK 39.45
-15.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.06SEK 135
$12.10SEK 117
16.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.66SEK 112
$11.67SEK 112
-0.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.83SEK 152
$17.76SEK 171
-10.87%
Apples(1kg)
$4.36SEK 41.94
$3.23SEK 31.09
34.98%
Banana(1kg)
$3.02SEK 29.07
$2.64SEK 25.42
14.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.67SEK 35.31
$3.22SEK 31.00
13.98%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.10SEK 39.46
$4.37SEK 42.11
-6.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60SEK 15.43
$1.82SEK 17.52
-12.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.68SEK 16.18
$1.68SEK 16.13
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.32SEK 22.31
$2.03SEK 19.51
14.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49SEK 14.34
$1.78SEK 17.13
-16.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.99SEK 77.0
$8.50SEK 81.8
-6.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.72SEK 103
$14.55SEK 140
-26.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02SEK 19.47
$2.20SEK 21.16
-8.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37SEK 22.86
$2.38SEK 22.91
-0.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.58SEK 34.48
$3.85SEK 37.06
-7.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$80.5SEK 776
$88.8SEK 855
-9.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$6.32SEK 60.9
$6.45SEK 62.1
-2.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.80SEK 17.38
$1.73SEK 16.62
4.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$61.8SEK 595
$61.3SEK 590
0.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.88SEK 18.12
$1.90SEK 18.34
-1.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5KSEK 331.9K
$34.0KSEK 327.1K
1.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KSEK 334.5K
$34.4KSEK 330.9K
1.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$114SEK 1,100
$110SEK 1,060
3.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.86SEK 259
$19.66SEK 189
36.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.08SEK 396
$36.30SEK 350
13.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.08SEK 386
$37.94SEK 365
5.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.27SEK 263
$25.89SEK 249
5.33%
Cinema Ticket
$15.23SEK 147
$19.34SEK 186
-21.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$128SEK 1,237
$230SEK 2,212
-44.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,229SEK 50.4K
$4,554SEK 43.9K
14.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.1SEK 896
$91.0SEK 876
2.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.36SEK 427
$34.36SEK 331
29.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.3SEK 956
$94.0SEK 906
5.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$149SEK 1,430
$135SEK 1,303
9.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$841SEK 8,102
$1,061SEK 10.2K
-20.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620SEK 5,967
$961SEK 9,255
-35.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,388SEK 13.4K
$1,849SEK 17.8K
-24.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,050SEK 10.1K
$1,440SEK 13.9K
-27.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,297SEK 41.4K
$6,496SEK 62.6K
-33.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,919SEK 28.1K
$3,613SEK 34.8K
-19.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ostersund
Gothenburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$3,639SEK 35.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.42
3.06
11.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ostersund: August 31, 2026
Last update for Gothenburg: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $841 in Ostersund and $1,061 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $80.0 in Ostersund vs $92.0 in Gothenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 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
Ostersund vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ostersund or Gothenburg?
Ostersund wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ostersund the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ostersund and in Gothenburg?
You'd need roughly $2,755 in Ostersund and $3,192 in Gothenburg to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ostersund compared to Gothenburg?
Rent for a central apartment: $841 in Ostersund 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 Ostersund and in Gothenburg?
Childcare runs $128 in Ostersund 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 Ostersund 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 $2,500/month in Ostersund or in Gothenburg?
At $1,836 in Ostersund versus $2,128 in Gothenburg, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ostersund but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Ostersund the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ostersund or Gothenburg?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ostersund delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ostersund hard to pass up.
How safe is Ostersund compared to Gothenburg?
Safety-wise, Ostersund 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 Ostersund gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.