Moving to District of Columbia from Alabama
What to Expect
Considering a move from Alabama to District of Columbia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Alabama to District of Columbia, you would find that District of Columbia is 62.3% more expensive than Alabama. A $75,000 salary in Alabama would need to be roughly $122,000 in District of Columbia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 76°F in Montgomery, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Alabama and District of Columbia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $122,000
To maintain the same standard of living in District of Columbia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 33.3% more
Groceries
pay 41.1% more
Transportation
pay 31.9% more
Housing
pay 2.0 times more
Childcare
pay 2.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 64.6% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in District of Columbia compared to Alabama.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Alabama performs better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
District of Columbia performs significantly better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Alabama performs better than District of Columbia across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Alabama generally does better on infrastructure, though District of Columbia leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
District of Columbia generally does better on employment & economy, though Alabama leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
District of Columbia performs significantly better than Alabama across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Montgomery | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/40°F (17°/4°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 84°/60°F (29°/16°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/45°F (21°/7°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Montgomery | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 60°/37°F (15.3°/3.0°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in District of Columbia than Alabama?
On average District of Columbia is around 62% pricier than Alabama, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to District of Columbia?
Budget about $30,500 for 3 months in District of Columbia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is District of Columbia safe?
Alabama performs better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in District of Columbia compared to Alabama?
District of Columbia performs significantly better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in District of Columbia compared to Alabama?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 76°F in Montgomery. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Montgomery gets 53.1 in.
