Birmingham, AL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Birmingham, AL Summary

Cost of living in Birmingham research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Birmingham is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Alabama, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Birmingham is 87, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Birmingham is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Birmingham ranks as the #39 cheapest in Alabama out of 115.

  • Birmingham ranks as the #1,101 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Birmingham is $102,900.

  • The median income in Birmingham is $39,403.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
87
Birmingham's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Birmingham, AL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Birmingham has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alabama, Birmingham has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Alabama's index of 88.

The standard of living in Birmingham ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 115 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Birmingham ranks as the #76 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

For more reading on life in Birmingham, check out:

39 out of 115
In Alabama
1,101 out of 6,412
In America

Birmingham Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Birmingham. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Birmingham is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Birmingham is 94.

  • The Health index in Birmingham is 93.

  • The Housing index in Birmingham is 56.

  • The Transportation index in Birmingham is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Birmingham is 101.

Living Expense Birmingham Alabama National Average
Overall 87 88 100
Services 102 95 100
Groceries 94 97 100
Health 93 88 100
Housing 56 69 100
Transportation 96 90 100
Utilities 101 101 100
For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:
Birmingham Cost of Living Vs. AL

Birmingham, AL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alabama, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Birmingham is $102,900.

  • The Median Rent in Birmingham is $906.

  • The Median Income in Birmingham is $39,403.

  • The Home Value To Income in Birmingham is 2.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Birmingham is 0.28x.

Statistic Birmingham Alabama United States
Median Home Value $102,900 $157,100 $244,900
Median Rent $906 $852 $1,163
Median Income $39,403 $54,943 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.6x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Birmingham, AL
$102,900
Median Home Value
$906
Median Rent
$39,403
Median Income

Birmingham, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Birmingham Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Birmingham Alabama
Shampoo $0.88 $1.06
Movie $12.74 $10.68
Bowling $15.0 $14.67
Haircut $16.76 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.83 $39.05

Detailed Birmingham Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Birmingham Alabama
Ground Beef $4.35 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.39
Milk $1.92 $2.05
Potatoes $3.0 $3.29
Pizza $9.76 $10.62
Beer $9.12 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.8 $2.34

Detailed Birmingham Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Birmingham Alabama
Optometrist $95.8 $108.57
Doctor $77.78 $116.17
Dentist $106.79 $99.13

Detailed Birmingham Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Birmingham Alabama
Gasoline $2.03 $2.22
Tire Balancing $50.9 $50.07

Detailed Birmingham Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Birmingham Alabama
All Electricity $172.23 $167.67
Phone $181.81 $175.64

Birmingham SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Birmingham

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Birmingham. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Vestavia Hills, AL has a cost of living index of 117, 1.3x Birmingham.

  • Homewood, AL has a cost of living index of 112, 1.3x Birmingham.

  • Bessemer, AL has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Birmingham.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Birmingham
Vestavia Hills, AL 38,504 117 1.3x
Homewood, AL 26,206 112 1.3x
Bessemer, AL 26,171 84 1.0x
Trussville, AL 25,027 106 1.2x
Pelham, AL 24,134 99 1.1x
Mountain Brook, AL 22,184 145 1.7x
Hueytown, AL 16,694 91 1.0x
Center Point, AL 16,422 90 1.0x
Chelsea, AL 14,710 107 1.2x
Irondale, AL 13,457 91 1.0x

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