Moving to Washington from Alabama
What to Expect
Considering a move from Alabama to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Alabama to Washington, you would find that Washington is 28.2% more expensive than Alabama. A $75,000 salary in Alabama would need to be roughly $97,082 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°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 Washington.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $97,082
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 18.6% more
Groceries
pay 12.0% more
Transportation
pay 26.4% more
Housing
pay 39.6% more
Childcare
pay 56.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.3% 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 Washington compared to Alabama.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Alabama generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
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
Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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
Washington 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
Washington 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 | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/40°F (17°/4°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 84°/60°F (29°/16°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 69°/45°F (21°/7°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Montgomery | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 60°/37°F (15.3°/3.0°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Washington than Alabama?
On average Washington is around 29% pricier than Alabama, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $24,270 for 3 months in Washington (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Washington safe?
Alabama generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Alabama?
Washington performs significantly better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Alabama?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 76°F in Montgomery. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Montgomery gets 53.1 in.
