Cost of living in Sweden: an honest comparison with real numbers
"Sweden is expensive." You hear it a lot. But is it really true? And if so: where exactly, and how much more expensive?
This article doesn't give you statistics from the internet. It gives you real numbers from everyday life in Gothenburg: what a grocery shop costs, what rent costs, what you pay for preschool, transport and a beer. And where Sweden will surprise you because it is cheaper than expected. Throughout, I use Germany, where I come from, as a reference point.
The short answer
In some areas Sweden is noticeably more expensive than Germany, above all when it comes to eating out, alcohol and rents without a förstahandskontrakt (first-hand lease). In other areas it is surprisingly similar or even cheaper, especially childcare, healthcare and supermarket groceries.
The decisive variable is not the country but your housing situation. With an affordable förstahandskontrakt, life in Gothenburg is very comfortable. Without one, you pay considerably more. You can see how much rents vary from area to area in the overview of Gothenburg's neighbourhoods.
Housing
The biggest cost issue for newcomers.
Second-hand market (andrahandskontrakt, sublet):
- 1 room: 7,000 to 10,000 SEK/month (approx. €620 to €890)
- 2 rooms: 10,000 to 14,000 SEK/month (approx. €890 to €1,240)
- 3 rooms: 13,000 to 18,000 SEK/month (approx. €1,150 to €1,600)
First-hand market (förstahandskontrakt): Often 20 to 30% cheaper than the second-hand market, but only within reach after years of waiting.
Utilities: In Sweden, heating and hot water are often included in the rent (district heating is standard). Electricity is billed separately, but for a 2-room flat it is rarely more than 500 to 800 SEK/month.
Compared with Germany: In Hamburg or Munich, a 2-room flat costs about the same or more. In smaller German cities it is cheaper.
Groceries
Here Sweden is closer to Germany than most people expect.
Typical prices at ICA, Coop or Lidl (2026):
- Whole milk (1 litre): approx. 14 SEK (approx. €1.25)
- Bread (750 g): approx. 30 to 45 SEK (approx. €2.70 to €4)
- Chicken breast (1 kg): approx. 80 to 100 SEK (approx. €7 to €9)
- Apples (1 kg): approx. 25 to 35 SEK (approx. €2.20 to €3.10)
- Pasta (500 g): approx. 15 to 20 SEK (approx. €1.35 to €1.80)
- Coffee (500 g): approx. 60 to 90 SEK (approx. €5.30 to €8)
Monthly grocery costs for 2 people: approx. 4,000 to 5,500 SEK (approx. €355 to €490)
Compared with Germany: Very similar. German discounters such as Lidl also operate in Sweden and have comparable prices.
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Restaurants and going out
This is where it gets more expensive. Considerably.
- Lunch (dagens lunch, the dish of the day): 120 to 160 SEK (approx. €10.70 to €14.20)
- Pizza: 130 to 180 SEK (approx. €11.50 to €16)
- Beer in a bar (50 cl): 80 to 110 SEK (approx. €7 to €10)
- Coffee (latte): 50 to 70 SEK (approx. €4.40 to €6.20)
- Dinner for two (upmarket restaurant): 800 to 1,400 SEK (approx. €71 to €124)
Alcohol is particularly expensive. Sweden regulates alcohol sales through the state-owned Systembolaget. Wine starts at around 80 SEK (approx. €7); a bottle of good red wine quickly costs 150 to 250 SEK. Beer in the supermarket is limited to 3.5% alcohol; stronger beer is only available at Systembolaget.
Compared with Germany: Restaurants and going out are around 30 to 50% more expensive in Sweden than in major German cities.
Public transport
Gothenburg has a good public transport network: trams, buses, commuter trains. And right now it is remarkably cheap.
- Single ticket: 38 SEK (approx. €3.40)
- Monthly pass for Zone A (Västtrafik), regular price: 890 SEK (approx. €79)
- Monthly pass for Zone A, currently halved thanks to the state price cut: 445 SEK (approx. €40)
- Registered in Gothenburg, with the city's subsidy: 750 SEK normally, currently 305 SEK (approx. €27)
You claim the Gothenburg subsidy in the Västtrafik To Go app while logged in. With the monthly pass you can get around the whole city and even into the surrounding area. Most people living in Gothenburg don't need a car. If you do have one, it is worth knowing beforehand how resident parking in Gothenburg works.
Good to know: the halving is a temporary state measure, and whether it is extended is a political decision. For the long term, budget with the regular price and enjoy the half price while it lasts.
Compared with Germany: The Deutschlandticket has cost €63 since January 2026. The subsidised Gothenburg monthly pass currently costs around €27, the normal Zone A pass around €79.
Childcare: one of the biggest differences
This is the area that surprises newcomers the most, in a good way.
Sweden has what is called the maxtaxa system: the fees for förskola (preschool) are capped by the state.
Maximum amounts in Gothenburg, as of 2026. The fee is a percentage of the household's gross income, capped at these amounts:
- Child 1: 3 per cent, no more than 1,547 SEK/month (approx. €137)
- Child 2: 2 per cent, no more than 1,031 SEK/month (approx. €91)
- Child 3: 1 per cent, no more than 516 SEK/month (approx. €46)
- From the fourth child: free of charge
For children between three and five, each level is lower: child 1 no more than 1,031 SEK, children 2 and 3 no more than 516 SEK each. Since 1 July 2026 you pay the maximum from a gross household income of 51,560 SEK a month (previously 61,560 SEK), and the first 10,000 SEK of income no longer counts.
From the autumn term of the year in which a child turns three, they are entitled to allmän förskola (universal preschool): 525 hours a year, around 15 hours a week, free of charge and regardless of the parents' income.
Compared with Germany: In Germany, depending on the city and income, parents often pay €500 to €1,500 a month for a Kita (daycare). For families, the maxtaxa system is a massive financial advantage.
Healthcare
The Swedish healthcare system is financed through taxes. As a resident with a personnummer, you have access to:
- A doctor's appointment at the vårdcentral (health centre): 200 SEK patient fee (300 SEK if you are not registered there)
- An appointment with a nurse: 50 SEK
- A specialist at the hospital: 300 SEK; akuten (A&E): 400 SEK
- High-cost protection: once you have paid 1,450 SEK in patient fees within twelve months, you get a frikort (exemption card), and the rest of the period is free
- Medicines: a separate high-cost protection with a ceiling of 3,800 SEK per twelve-month period. That is the figure since the reform in July 2025, and therefore the one that applies to you as a newcomer
Amounts for Västra Götaland; other regions differ slightly.
Compared with Germany: For people with statutory health insurance, the system is comparable and in some respects cheaper. No monthly insurance contributions: everything is financed through taxes.
Taxes and salary
By European standards, Sweden has high income taxes, but also high wages. I explain how the tax return in Sweden works in a separate article.
- Municipal tax: 32.60% in Gothenburg, 32.38% on average nationally (2026)
- State tax: an additional 20% on everything above the brytpunkt (threshold) of 660,400 SEK annual income, which corresponds to around 55,000 SEK gross a month
- Effective tax rate for a middle income (40,000 SEK/month gross): approx. 30 to 32%
Gross vs. net salary (example):
- 40,000 SEK gross → approx. 28,000 SEK net
- 50,000 SEK gross → approx. 34,000 SEK net
Swedish employers also pay high employer contributions (approx. 31.42%), which makes total labour costs high, but that isn't directly visible to you as an employee.
What does a month in Gothenburg cost? An example
For a couple without children, in a second-hand flat, with a normal lifestyle:
| Item | SEK/month | Euro/month |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (2 rooms, second-hand market) | 12,000 | approx. 1,065 |
| Groceries | 4,500 | approx. 400 |
| Public transport (2 monthly passes) | 1,500 | approx. 133 |
| Restaurants/going out | 2,000 | approx. 178 |
| Electricity | 600 | approx. 53 |
| Mobile phone (2 SIMs) | 400 | approx. 36 |
| Miscellaneous | 1,500 | approx. 133 |
| Total | approx. 22,500 | approx. 2,000 |
These are the expenses, not the income you need. For savings, insurance and two trips home a year, reckon on at least 30,000 to 35,000 SEK net for two; with two full-time jobs in Gothenburg, that is realistic. Incidentally, as long as the half-price monthly passes apply, the public transport item comes to 610 instead of 1,500 SEK.
Conclusion
Sweden is not expensive across the board. It is expensive if you go out a lot and live on the second-hand market. It is surprisingly affordable if you cook for yourself, use public transport and have children.
The most important rule of thumb: reckon on a net income of at least 35,000 SEK for a comfortable life for two without a förstahandskontrakt. With an affordable first-hand lease, you may need considerably less.
Do you have specific questions about your personal cost situation in Gothenburg? Get in touch, and I'll work through it with you.
