Chelsea, AL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Chelsea, AL Summary

Cost of living in Chelsea 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 Chelsea 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 Chelsea is 109, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chelsea is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #108 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.

  • Chelsea ranks as the #3,556 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chelsea is $380,722.

  • The median income in Chelsea is $110,056.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
109
Chelsea's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chelsea, AL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chelsea has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alabama, Chelsea has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Alabama's index of 90.

The standard of living in Chelsea ranks as #108 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Chelsea ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

For more reading on life in Chelsea, check out:

108 out of 119
In Alabama
3,556 out of 6,489
In America

Chelsea Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

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

  • The Services index in Chelsea is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Chelsea is 98.

  • The Health index in Chelsea is 95.

  • The Housing index in Chelsea is 132.

  • The Transportation index in Chelsea is 92.

  • The Utilities index in Chelsea is 106.

Living Expense Chelsea Alabama National Average
Overall 109 90 100
Services 100 97 100
Groceries 98 98 100
Health 95 86 100
Housing 132 74 100
Transportation 92 93 100
Utilities 106 102 100
For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:
Chelsea Cost of Living Vs. AL

Chelsea, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chelsea is $380,722.

  • The Median Rent in Chelsea is $1,456.

  • The Median Income in Chelsea is $110,056.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chelsea is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chelsea is 0.16x.

Statistic Chelsea Alabama United States
Median Home Value $380,722 $232,780 $303,400
Median Rent $1,456 $963 $1,348
Median Income $110,056 $62,027 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.19x 0.21x
$380,722
Median Home Value
$1,456
Median Rent
$110,056
Median Income

Chelsea, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Chelsea Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Chelsea Alabama
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $12.54 $12.13
Bowling $16.37 $18
Haircut $20.07 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.74 $45.56

Detailed Chelsea Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Chelsea Alabama
Ground Beef $6.01 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.66 $1.57
Milk $4.54 $4.67
Potatoes $5.23 $4.93
Pizza $10.99 $12.09
Beer $10.4 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Chelsea Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Chelsea Alabama
Optometrist $92.33 $125.68
Doctor $101.83 $135.78
Dentist $125.78 $113.29

Detailed Chelsea Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Chelsea Alabama
Gasoline $3.13 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.52 $59.92

Detailed Chelsea Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Chelsea Alabama
All Electricity $219.4 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Chelsea SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
6
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
9
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chelsea

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

  • Birmingham, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 0.8x Chelsea.

  • Hoover, AL has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Chelsea.

  • Alabaster, AL has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Chelsea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chelsea
Birmingham, AL 199,322 90 0.8x
Hoover, AL 92,401 111 1.0x
Alabaster, AL 33,633 97 0.9x
Homewood, AL 27,697 123 1.1x
Bessemer, AL 25,655 88 0.8x
Pelham, AL 24,510 104 1.0x
Helena, AL 21,452 104 1.0x
Calera, AL 17,188 97 0.9x
Irondale, AL 13,462 96 0.9x
Leeds, AL 12,221 95 0.9x

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