Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Tuscaloosa, AL Cost of Living Comparison Between Gothenburg and Tuscaloosa, AL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,068 in Gothenburg versus $2,025 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Gothenburg versus $3,342 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Gothenburg versus $4,660 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Living in Gothenburg is roughly 2% more expensive than in Tuscaloosa, AL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gothenburg 55% above, Tuscaloosa, AL 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.85 SEK 132

$16.81 $16.81

-17.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.8 SEK 882

$63.4 $63.4

46.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 SEK 100

$10.07 $10.07

4.97%

Cappuccino

$4.95 SEK 47.04

$5.03 $5.03

-1.59%

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

$3.04 SEK 28.90

$2.55 $2.55

19.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 25.25

$1.66 $1.66

60.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.42 SEK 70.5

$5.09 $5.09

45.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 SEK 76.1

$6.65 $6.65

20.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.96

$1.12 $1.12

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.43

$3.49 $3.49

-17.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 SEK 31.65

$7.88 $7.88

-57.74%

Eggs

$4.49 SEK 42.68

$3.71 $3.71

21.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 SEK 111

$12.26 $12.26

-4.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 SEK 116

$14.29 $14.29

-14.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 SEK 177

$19.38 $19.38

-3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 29.10

$6.90 $6.90

-55.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 25.91

$2.11 $2.11

29.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.45

$11.11 $11.11

-73.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 SEK 39.48

$6.28 $6.28

-33.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.55

$1.70 $1.70

2.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 18.42

$3.95 $3.95

-50.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 SEK 21.20

$2.54 $2.54

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SEK 15.18

$2.07 $2.07

-22.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.91 SEK 75.1

$9.05 $9.05

-12.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.41 SEK 137

$16.66 $16.66

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 SEK 21.57

$1.71 $1.71

32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 24.02

$4.90 $4.90

-48.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 SEK 36.79

$2.04 $2.04

89.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.6 SEK 851

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 SEK 98.0

$3.58 $3.58

187.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.23

$1.48 $1.48

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.1 SEK 590

$29.39 $29.39

111.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.34

$0.78 $0.78

147.44%

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

$32.2K SEK 305.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

8.76%

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

$35.0K SEK 332.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

37.57%

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

$136 SEK 1,290

$185 $185

-26.69%

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

$25.35 SEK 241

$53.4 $53.4

-52.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.47 SEK 375

$73.1 $73.1

-46.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 SEK 388

$58.3 $58.3

-29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.69 SEK 235

$39.86 $39.86

-38.06%

Cinema Ticket

$18.13 SEK 172

$14.80 $14.80

22.50%

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

$176 SEK 1,676

$1,290 $1,290

-86.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,094 SEK 38.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

-82.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 SEK 855

$43.37 $43.37

107.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.38 SEK 374

$30.93 $30.93

27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 SEK 924

$55.9 $55.9

73.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,477

$70.6 $70.6

120.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,136 SEK 10.8K

$1,107 $1,107

2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 SEK 8,162

$773 $773

11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 SEK 17.6K

$3,006 $3,006

-38.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 SEK 13.7K

$1,810 $1,810

-20.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,400 SEK 60.8K

$1,815 $1,815

252.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 SEK 34.0K

$1,844 $1,844

93.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,689 SEK 35.0K

$3,497 $3,497

5.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

6.5

-33.38%

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

Last update for Gothenburg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tuscaloosa, AL: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,136 in Gothenburg and $1,107 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 5% 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: $93.0 in Gothenburg vs $63.0 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $482, with Gothenburg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Gothenburg vs Tuscaloosa, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuscaloosa, AL wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tuscaloosa, AL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Gothenburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,136 in Gothenburg versus $1,107 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $176 in Gothenburg versus $1,290 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tuscaloosa, AL – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $93.0 in Gothenburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,025 in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $2,068 in Gothenburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuscaloosa, AL but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. The gap between the two cities makes Tuscaloosa, AL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tuscaloosa, AL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,025 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tuscaloosa, AL hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gothenburg and Tuscaloosa, AL 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 Tuscaloosa, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.