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Gothenburg vs Stockholm

Sweden flagGothenburgSweden flagStockholm

Gothenburg and Stockholm are compared across affordability, safety, healthcare, career, culture and food, and public life. Stockholm has the broader all-round edge, while Gothenburg leads on affordability. The better fit depends on which of those relocation priorities matters most.

How they compare

AffordabilitySafetyHealthcareCareerCulturePublic life
  • Gothenburg
  • Stockholm
Affordability
65
62
Safety
78
78
Healthcare
78
78
Career
63
67
Culture & food
74
76
Public life & spaces
78
81
Overall
71
72

Objective 0–100 scores from source-backed CrossBorders data. Green marks the category leader; gold is the overall leader.

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Category by category

Is Gothenburg or Stockholm cheaper to live in?

Gothenburg 65Stockholm 62

Gothenburg has the lower open-market one-bedroom rent on a new lease, at about €960 per month, compared with €1,274 in Stockholm. Against one typical employee's mean net pay, Gothenburg is tight alone at roughly 35%, while Stockholm is tight alone at roughly 46%.

Is Gothenburg or Stockholm safer?

Gothenburg 78Stockholm 78

Dead even. Both rank among Europe's safer big cities, with rare violent crime; Stockholm's specific caveat is pickpocketing in busy tourist spots, Gothenburg's the ordinary petty crime of any Swedish city.

Does Gothenburg or Stockholm have better healthcare?

Gothenburg 78Stockholm 78

Also tied. Both draw on the same strong national system with excellent English-speaking care; the shared friction in each is the wait for a regular doctor or specialist.

Is Gothenburg or Stockholm better for your career?

Gothenburg 63Stockholm 67

Stockholm's clearest edge. Its tech and startup scene punches above the city's size, while Gothenburg's economy leans more on automotive and industrial employers, solid but smaller in scope and pay.

Does Gothenburg or Stockholm have a better food and culture scene?

Gothenburg 74Stockholm 76

Stockholm leads narrowly. Its restaurants, museums and music scene carry real international reach, though Gothenburg's food scene is often called friendlier and more down-to-earth by comparison.

Does Gothenburg or Stockholm have better public spaces and street life?

Gothenburg 78Stockholm 81

Stockholm edges ahead. Its island-strung waterfront and Gamla Stan's old streets outshine Gothenburg's Avenyn and harbour, though both keep costly Sweden as the honest brake on cheap daily living.

The verdict

Choose Stockholm for the broader all-round balance, especially if career matters most. Choose Gothenburg if affordability matters more. Compare their rent burden and day-to-day strengths before deciding.

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Gothenburg vs Stockholm looks different once your budget, work, and dealbreakers are in the mix. Answer a few questions and we'll weigh 109 metrics across 283 cities around your answers.

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Sweden flagLiving in GothenburgSweden flagLiving in Stockholm

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