City comparison
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 | Montgomery | Tuscaloosa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,026/mo | $980/mo | 4.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $141,900 | $228,300 | 37.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,166 | $47,257 | 14.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ 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 Montgomery, you'd need $95,526 in Tuscaloosa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tuscaloosa, AL is about 4.5% cheaper overall than Montgomery, AL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% lower in Tuscaloosa than in Montgomery. If you earn $80,000 in Montgomery, you'd need about $76,421 in Tuscaloosa to keep the same standard of living.