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: $1,804 in Varberg versus $2,127 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,844 in Varberg versus $3,216 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,885 in Varberg versus $4,305 in Gothenburg.

Living in Varberg costs roughly 15% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varberg 35% above, Gothenburg 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.56 SEK 132

$13.49 SEK 131

0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 805

$90.8 SEK 882

-8.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 SEK 97.4

$10.36 SEK 101

-3.19%

Cappuccino

$4.14 SEK 40.23

$4.77 SEK 46.34

-13.21%

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

$0.97 SEK 9.46

$3.11 SEK 30.23

-68.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 9.50

$2.64 SEK 25.61

-62.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 SEK 78.3

$7.23 SEK 70.2

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 SEK 75.5

$7.81 SEK 75.9

-0.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SEK 15.26

$1.70 SEK 16.52

-7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 29.58

$2.87 SEK 27.84

6.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 SEK 34.26

$3.24 SEK 31.42

8.95%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 42.06

$4.47 SEK 43.42

-3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 SEK 119

$11.69 SEK 114

4.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 115

$12.35 SEK 120

-4.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 SEK 206

$18.96 SEK 184

11.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 32.21

$3.08 SEK 29.93

7.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.43

$2.69 SEK 26.12

8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 31.82

$3.04 SEK 29.51

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 SEK 46.05

$4.24 SEK 41.20

11.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.74

$1.67 SEK 16.27

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.95

$1.89 SEK 18.34

3.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 25.34

$2.31 SEK 22.41

12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 SEK 11.16

$1.55 SEK 15.06

-25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 SEK 68.1

$7.92 SEK 77.0

-11.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 SEK 101

$14.41 SEK 140

-28.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.11

$2.26 SEK 22.00

-8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 SEK 12.17

$2.61 SEK 25.39

-52.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 SEK 27.38

$3.84 SEK 37.26

-26.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 709

$88.0 SEK 855

-17.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 SEK 49.68

$10.31 SEK 100

-50.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 SEK 24.73

$1.61 SEK 15.62

58.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.8 SEK 542

$62.7 SEK 609

-11.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.78

$1.94 SEK 18.86

-0.52%

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

$32.9K SEK 319.2K

$32.9K SEK 319.6K

-0.12%

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

$33.7K SEK 327.0K

$34.8K SEK 338.3K

-3.35%

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

$157 SEK 1,529

$138 SEK 1,339

14.17%

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

$20.83 SEK 202

$25.69 SEK 249

-18.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 SEK 313

$37.95 SEK 369

-15.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 SEK 395

$42.04 SEK 408

-3.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.23 SEK 245

$25.19 SEK 245

0.16%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 SEK 164

$18.03 SEK 175

-6.49%

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

$161 SEK 1,564

$177 SEK 1,720

-9.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,058 SEK 39.4K

$4,144 SEK 40.2K

-2.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 SEK 856

$88.6 SEK 860

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 405

$39.22 SEK 381

6.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 978

$97.9 SEK 951

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,521

$155 SEK 1,509

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SEK 8,120

$1,108 SEK 10.8K

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,267

$879 SEK 8,537

-26.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

$1,924 SEK 18.7K

-28.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SEK 10.7K

$1,421 SEK 13.8K

-22.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,638 SEK 64.5K

$6,255 SEK 60.7K

6.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,652 SEK 35.5K

$3,622 SEK 35.2K

0.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,197 SEK 31.0K

$3,613 SEK 35.1K

-11.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

4.33

-56.12%

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

Last update for Varberg: July 19, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $836 in Varberg and $1,108 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: $83.0 in Varberg vs $91.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $377 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 18% 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: $836 in Varberg versus $1,108 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $161 in Varberg versus $177 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 $1,804 in Varberg versus $2,127 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 $1,804 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 18% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.