City comparison
Birmingham, AL is about 200 miles (350 km) from Mobile, AL in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 275 miles, or about 4 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Birmingham, AL to Mobile, AL takes about 25 min, covering roughly 200 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Birmingham has a population of 200,431, vs 186,316 in Mobile — about the same size. By land area, Mobile covers about 150 sq mi vs 145 sq mi for Birmingham.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Birmingham | Mobile | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $995/mo | $985/mo | 1.0% higher in Birmingham |
| Median home value | $123,000 | $158,400 | 28.8% higher in Mobile |
| Median household income | $42,464 | $48,524 | 14.3% higher in Mobile |
| Groceries index | 96.6 | 96.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 84.8 | 85.1 | ≈ equal (Mobile slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 97.0 | 97.0 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.5 | 96.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Birmingham, you'd need $94,708 in Mobile to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mobile, AL is about 5.3% cheaper overall than Birmingham, AL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 17% higher in Birmingham than in Mobile. If you earn $80,000 in Birmingham, you'd need about $75,766 in Mobile to keep the same standard of living.