Montgomery, AL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Montgomery. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Montgomery compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Montgomery, Alabama

Cost of living in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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:

89 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#41 Cheapest in Alabama (of 116)
#897 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$151,228 Median home value
$1,089 Median rent
$56,811 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Montgomery, AL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Montgomery has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alabama, Montgomery has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Alabama's index of 91.

The standard of living in Montgomery ranks as #41 most affordable out of the 116 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Montgomery ranks as the #75 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.

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Montgomery Cost Of Living Vs. Alabama

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

  • The Services index in Montgomery is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Montgomery is 95.

  • The Health index in Montgomery is 73.

  • The Housing index in Montgomery is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Montgomery is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Montgomery is 96.

Living Expense Montgomery Alabama National Average
Overall 89 91 100
Services 93 95 100
Groceries 95 96 100
Health 73 74 100
Housing 99 96 100
Transportation 96 95 100
Utilities 96 95 100

Montgomery Cost Of Living Compared To Alabama Averages

Services
Montgomery 93
Alabama avg 95
Groceries
Montgomery 95
Alabama avg 96
Health
Montgomery 73
Alabama avg 74
Housing
Montgomery 99
Alabama avg 96
Transportation
Montgomery 96
Alabama avg 95
Utilities
Montgomery 96
Alabama avg 95

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Alabama, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Montgomery, AL Housing Cost Breakdown

$151,228Median Home Value
$1,089Median Rent
$56,811Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Montgomery is $151,228.

  • The Median Rent in Montgomery is $1,089.

  • The Median Income in Montgomery is $56,811.

  • The Home Value To Income in Montgomery is 2.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Montgomery is 0.23x.

Statistic Montgomery Alabama United States
Median Home Value $151,228 $236,452 $332,700
Median Rent $1,089 $1,007 $1,413
Median Income $56,811 $63,999 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.7x 3.7x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.19x 0.21x

Montgomery, AL Costs By Category

Detailed Montgomery Services costs vs. Alabama
Item Montgomery Alabama
Shampoo $1.31 $1.28
Movie $9.44 $12.13
Bowling $12.0 $18
Haircut $23.07 $24.26
Beauty Salon $43.53 $45.56
Detailed Montgomery Groceries costs vs. Alabama
Item Montgomery Alabama
Ground Beef $5.97 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $5.2 $4.93
Pizza $11.39 $12.09
Beer $10.73 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7
Detailed Montgomery Health costs vs. Alabama
Item Montgomery Alabama
Optometrist $93.6 $125.68
Doctor $104.44 $135.78
Dentist $73.11 $113.29
Detailed Montgomery Transportation costs vs. Alabama
Item Montgomery Alabama
Gasoline $3.18 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.09 $59.92
Detailed Montgomery Utilities costs vs. Alabama
Item Montgomery Alabama
All Electricity $201.74 $193.99
Phone $200.7 $192.25

Montgomery SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Montgomery

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

  • Auburn, AL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Montgomery.

  • Prattville, AL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.1x Montgomery.

  • Troy, AL has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Montgomery.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Montgomery
Auburn, AL 80,594 104 1.2x
Prattville, AL 39,482 99 1.1x
Troy, AL 17,716 93 1.0x
Millbrook, AL 17,189 93 1.0x
Selma, AL 17,057 84 0.9x
Wetumpka, AL 7,437 92 1.0x