Cost of Living Comparison Between Varberg and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Varberg and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Varberg versus $2,097 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Varberg versus $3,218 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,675 in Varberg versus $4,339 in Gothenburg.

Living in Varberg costs roughly 20% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varberg 21% above, Gothenburg 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SEK 151

$13.75 SEK 133

13.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 SEK 774

$91.4 SEK 886

-12.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 103

$13.46 SEK 131

-21.32%

Cappuccino

$3.90 SEK 37.85

$5.14 SEK 49.80

-24.12%

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

$1.23 SEK 11.90

$3.03 SEK 29.41

-59.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 SEK 10.81

$2.30 SEK 22.30

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 SEK 61.6

$7.07 SEK 68.6

-10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 SEK 76.6

$7.68 SEK 74.5

2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 15.04

$1.83 SEK 17.72

-15.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.80

$2.71 SEK 26.27

13.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 34.15

$3.30 SEK 31.98

6.67%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 41.99

$4.07 SEK 39.47

6.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 SEK 128

$12.25 SEK 119

8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 113

$11.83 SEK 115

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.42 SEK 198

$17.52 SEK 170

16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 30.94

$3.22 SEK 31.18

-0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.19

$2.68 SEK 25.96

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.58

$3.12 SEK 30.27

0.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.33

$4.35 SEK 42.16

0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 15.02

$1.88 SEK 18.26

-17.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.66

$1.73 SEK 16.77

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 SEK 25.72

$2.11 SEK 20.42

25.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 9.91

$1.78 SEK 17.21

-42.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 SEK 68.9

$8.16 SEK 79.1

-12.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 SEK 102

$14.29 SEK 139

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.35

$2.21 SEK 21.41

-4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$2.25 SEK 21.80

-43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 SEK 28.81

$3.75 SEK 36.39

-20.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 SEK 791

$88.2 SEK 855

-7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 SEK 51.5

$6.49 SEK 62.9

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.50

$1.73 SEK 16.76

46.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 SEK 499

$61.2 SEK 593

-15.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.53

$1.90 SEK 18.47

-4.74%

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

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

$34.4K SEK 333.9K

-0.34%

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

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

$34.7K SEK 336.2K

1.38%

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

$146 SEK 1,411

$107 SEK 1,035

36.36%

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

$20.72 SEK 201

$20.02 SEK 194

3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.78 SEK 298

$36.46 SEK 353

-15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 SEK 404

$37.87 SEK 367

10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.46 SEK 402

$25.91 SEK 251

60.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.46 SEK 160

$19.30 SEK 187

-14.72%

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

$159 SEK 1,544

$226 SEK 2,192

-29.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

$4,552 SEK 44.1K

-21.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 SEK 718

$92.1 SEK 892

-19.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 SEK 397

$34.33 SEK 333

19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 SEK 1,093

$96.0 SEK 930

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,544

$138 SEK 1,336

15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,185

$1,093 SEK 10.6K

-22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 SEK 5,130

$974 SEK 9,446

-45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

$1,896 SEK 18.4K

-34.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 SEK 9,211

$1,464 SEK 14.2K

-35.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

$6,464 SEK 62.7K

4.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

$3,660 SEK 35.5K

-2.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

$3,689 SEK 35.8K

-11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

3.06

-37.91%

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

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Varberg and $1,093 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 13% 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: $80.0 in Varberg vs $91.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $373 per month, with Varberg 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

Varberg vs Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varberg wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varberg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $844 in Varberg versus $1,093 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $159 in Varberg versus $226 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,671 in Varberg versus $2,097 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varberg but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Varberg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Varberg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,671 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varberg hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Varberg 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 Varberg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.