Gothenburg on a Shoestring: My Broke-but-Happy Monthly Budget Breakdown
so here's the deal. i moved to gothenburg thinking it'd be "cheaper than stockholm" and yeah, it kinda is. but lemme tell ya, "cheaper" in sweden still means you're selling a kidney for rent. i'm a freelance photographer, so my income swings like a drunk pendulum, but here's what i actually spent last month trying to live like a semi-functional human in this rainy, beautiful mess of a city.
*rent: 8,500 sek for a 25m² studio in vasastan. it's basically a shoebox with a window. my toilet is in the shower. romantic, right?
food: 3,200 sek. lidl is my church. i tried eating "local" once at a fancy fika spot-52 sek for a cinnamon bun. never again. i stick to ICA's "weekly deals" and a lot of falafel.
transport: 930 sek for a monthly mvgoteborg card. trams are great until it's -5°c and you're waiting 18 minutes for the 6 that never comes.
phone/internet: 299 sek. got a deal with hallon. barely works in my apartment, but hey, it's cheap.
hobbies/leisure: 800 sek. mostly coffee shop working sessions and the occasional overpriced museum visit. gothenburg's museums are legit though-universeum is wild.
misc/health: 600 sek. includes toiletries, haircuts (once in a blue moon), and the existential dread that comes with winter.
total: ~14,529 sek/month. or about $1,380 usd if you're american and crying rn.overheard at da matteo
"yeah, i pay 11k for a two-room in linné but the upstairs neighbor is a drummer. i haven't slept since 2021." - random dude in line for pizza
"if you wanna save money, shop at hemköp after 8pm. they practically give away bread." - my swedish grandma friendpro tips from a broke creative
- rent smart: look in bergsjön or hisingen if you want space. vasastan is cute but your wallet will hate you.
- food strategy: learn to love pyttipanna. it's cheap, filling, and somehow socially acceptable to eat alone.
- social life*: go to a "föreningslokal" meetup. cheaper than bars and you might learn knitting or medieval sword fighting.
quick facts (because you're probably googling this at 2am)
- gothenburg is the second-largest city in sweden and weirdly obsessed with seafood.
- it rains 170 days a year here. bring a rain jacket or become one with the damp.
- job market? decent if you're in tech, shipping, or academia. freelancers? good luck, buddy.
- safety: gothenburg is generally safe, but watch your bike. bike theft is a local sport.
weather rn: gray, windy, and pretending it's not still winter. but the cherry blossoms in slottsskogen are trying their best.
neighboring cities worth visiting:
- mälmo (2h train, more chill vibes)
- oslo (3.5h train, but your wallet will cry)
- copenhagen (3h train, for when you wanna double down on scandinavian prices)
final thoughts
living in gothenburg is like dating someone who's gorgeous but emotionally unavailable. it'll charm you with cinnamon buns and canals, then ghost you with a 12k rent bill. but honestly? i'm still here. maybe i'm just a sucker for good design and free museums.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/hamamatsu-housing-rent-vs-buy-why-my-couch-is-my-best-friend
- https://topiclo.com/post/rotterdam-networking-nights-and-the-weirdos-who-show-up
- https://topiclo.com/post/healthcare-quality-in-barcelona-top-hospitals-medical-centers
- https://topiclo.com/post/villavicencios-economy-whats-actually-keeping-this-city-alive
- https://topiclo.com/post/tolyatti-housing-rent-vs-buy-and-why-you-might-want-to-stay-in-your-van