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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average salary in Gothenburg: 395 000 kr/year — 25 417 kr above the Sweden median. Cost index 112, purchasing power 352679/100. Compare incomes across Västra Götaland below.
Average salary in Gothenburg: 395 000 kr/year — 25 417 kr above the Sweden median. Cost index 112, purchasing power 352679/100. Compare incomes across Västra Götaland below.
Gothenburg: cost index 112 (+11 vs national avg 101), rent 10 100 kr/month.
Västra Götaland region average cost index: 101. Gothenburg is +11 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 68/100 — safety 68, healthcare 80, walkability 82.
Safety score: 68/100 (crime rate 64.2/1k). National average: 73/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gothenburg | 112 | 10 100 kr | 395 000 kr |
| 2 | Stockholm | 136 | 13 200 kr | 440 000 kr |
| 3 | Uppsala | 114 | 10 400 kr | 405 000 kr |
| 4 | Lund | 112 | 9 700 kr | 400 000 kr |
| 5 | Halmstad | 104 | 8 700 kr | 383 000 kr |
| 6 | Malmö | 108 | 9 500 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 7 | Linköping | 102 | 8 700 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 8 | Luleå | 96 | 7 600 kr | 378 000 kr |
| 9 | Umeå | 101 | 8 300 kr | 373 000 kr |
| 10 | Helsingborg | 103 | 9 000 kr | 368 000 kr |
| 11 | Jönköping | 96 | 7 900 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 12 | Örebro | 97 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 13 | Västerås | 99 | 8 000 kr | 362 000 kr |
| 14 | Norrköping | 96 | 8 100 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 15 | Falun | 93 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 16 | Sundsvall | 93 | 7 400 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 17 | Växjö | 95 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 18 | Eskilstuna | 96 | 7 700 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 19 | Karlstad | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
| 20 | Östersund | 94 | 7 500 kr | 357 000 kr |
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Gothenburg has a cost index of 112 — 11 points above the Sweden national average of 101. Median income is 395 000 kr with rent at 10 100 kr/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 31%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. looking at Västra Götaland as a whole, the spread across all 24 cities is 22 points on the cost index. Karlskrona sits at the other end with index 90 and rent of 6 900 kr/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Gothenburg scores a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (80), and walkability (82) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Sweden is a good example of that tension.
Gothenburg — cost index 112, rent 10 100 kr/mo, income 395 000 kr, QoL 68/100.
Stockholm — cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr, QoL 66/100.
Uppsala — cost index 114, rent 10 400 kr/mo, income 405 000 kr, QoL 69/100.
Lund — cost index 112, rent 9 700 kr/mo, income 400 000 kr, QoL 70/100.
Halmstad — cost index 104, rent 8 700 kr/mo, income 383 000 kr, QoL 68/100.
The median gross income in Gothenburg is 395 000 kr/year — above the Sweden national average of 369 583 kr.
The Västra Götaland region of average QoL score is 69/100. Gothenburg leads with 68/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket.
Gothenburg: cost index 112, rent 10 100 kr/mo, income 395 000 kr/yr, QoL 68/100. Stockholm: cost index 136, rent 13 200 kr/mo, income 440 000 kr/yr, QoL 66/100.
This analysis uses data from SCB, Lantmäteriet, Skatteverket to rank cities in Sweden. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.