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:
The cost of living index in Montgomery is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Montgomery is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Montgomery ranks as the #41 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Montgomery ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Montgomery is $146,083.
The median income in Montgomery is $55,687.
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 90.
The standard of living in Montgomery ranks as #41 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Montgomery ranks as the #78 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Montgomery, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Montgomery. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Montgomery is 90.
The Groceries index in Montgomery is 95.
The Health index in Montgomery is 79.
The Housing index in Montgomery is 73.
The Transportation index in Montgomery is 90.
The Utilities index in Montgomery is 106.
| Living Expense | Montgomery | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 90 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 79 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 73 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 102 | 100 | |
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 Montgomery is $146,083.
The Median Rent in Montgomery is $1,059.
The Median Income in Montgomery is $55,687.
The Home Value To Income in Montgomery is 2.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Montgomery is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Montgomery | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $146,083 | $232,780 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,059 | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $55,687 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.6x | 3.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Montgomery | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $93.6 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $104.44 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $73.11 | $113.29 |
| Item | Montgomery | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $54.09 | $59.92 |
| Item | Montgomery | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $200.7 | $192.25 |
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 107, 1.2x Montgomery.
Prattville, AL has a cost of living index of 94, 1.1x Montgomery.
Troy, AL has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Montgomery.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, AL | 78,738 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Prattville, AL | 38,850 | 94 | 1.1x |
| Troy, AL | 17,733 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Selma, AL | 17,442 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Millbrook, AL | 16,923 | 94 | 1.1x |
| Pike Road, AL | 10,103 | 111 | 1.2x |
| Wetumpka, AL | 7,182 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Redland, AL | 5,231 | 108 | 1.2x |