Mobile, AL Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mobile, AL Summary

Cost of living in Mobile 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 Mobile 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 Mobile is 88, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Mobile ranks as the #44 cheapest in Alabama out of 115.

  • Mobile ranks as the #1,278 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mobile is $138,400.

  • The median income in Mobile is $44,780.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
88
Mobile's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mobile, AL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mobile has an overall cost of living index of 88, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Mobile ranks as #44 most affordable out of the 115 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Mobile ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

For more reading on life in Mobile, check out:

44 out of 115
In Alabama
1,278 out of 6,412
In America

Mobile Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

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

  • The Services index in Mobile is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Mobile is 97.

  • The Health index in Mobile is 104.

  • The Housing index in Mobile is 69.

  • The Transportation index in Mobile is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Mobile is 100.

Living Expense Mobile Alabama National Average
Overall 88 88 100
Services 99 95 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 104 88 100
Housing 69 69 100
Transportation 94 90 100
Utilities 100 101 100
For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:
Mobile Cost of Living Vs. AL

Mobile, 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 Mobile is $138,400.

  • The Median Rent in Mobile is $918.

  • The Median Income in Mobile is $44,780.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mobile is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mobile is 0.25x.

Statistic Mobile Alabama United States
Median Home Value $138,400 $157,100 $244,900
Median Rent $918 $852 $1,163
Median Income $44,780 $54,943 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.1x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Mobile, AL
$138,400
Median Home Value
$918
Median Rent
$44,780
Median Income

Mobile, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Mobile Services Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Mobile Alabama
Shampoo $1.01 $1.06
Movie $11.99 $10.68
Bowling $18.0 $14.67
Haircut $16.6 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.9 $39.05

Detailed Mobile Groceries Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Mobile Alabama
Ground Beef $4.15 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.23 $1.39
Milk $2.47 $2.05
Potatoes $3.49 $3.29
Pizza $9.81 $10.62
Beer $9.62 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.84 $2.34

Detailed Mobile Health Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Mobile Alabama
Optometrist $127.1 $108.57
Doctor $104.19 $116.17
Dentist $107.84 $99.13

Detailed Mobile Transportation Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Mobile Alabama
Gasoline $2.01 $2.22
Tire Balancing $48.1 $50.07

Detailed Mobile Utilities Costs Vs. Alabama

Item Mobile Alabama
All Electricity $164.41 $167.67
Phone $181.81 $175.64

Mobile SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mobile

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

  • Daphne, AL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Mobile.

  • Fairhope, AL has a cost of living index of 105, 1.2x Mobile.

  • Prichard, AL has a cost of living index of 82, 0.9x Mobile.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mobile
Daphne, AL 27,088 99 1.1x
Fairhope, AL 21,825 105 1.2x
Prichard, AL 19,645 82 0.9x
Tillmans Corner, AL 18,313 90 1.0x
Saraland, AL 15,942 90 1.0x
Spanish Fort, AL 9,720 106 1.2x
Satsuma, AL 6,704 96 1.1x
Chickasaw, AL 6,421 86 1.0x
Theodore, AL 5,949 90 1.0x

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