Moving to Alabama from Colorado

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Colorado to Alabama? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Colorado to Alabama, you would find that Alabama is 17.8% cheaper than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly $56,758 in Alabama to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Montgomery averages 76°F vs 65°F in Denver, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Colorado and Alabama.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $56,758

To maintain the same standard of living in Alabama

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 18.1% less

Groceries

pay 5.7% less

Transportation

pay 14.3% less

Housing

pay 25.8% less

Childcare

pay 21.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Alabama compared to Colorado.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
463
AL
397
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
2814
AL
1671

Alabama performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

CO
7.3%
AL
9.0%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CO
26.3%
AL
39.6%

Colorado performs better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

CO
$502,200
AL
$195,100
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

CO
$1,693
AL
$963

Alabama performs significantly better than Colorado across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CO
92.9%
AL
85.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

CO
26 min
AL
25 min

Colorado generally does better on infrastructure, though Alabama leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
3.6%
AL
2.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$74,650
AL
$49,225

Colorado generally does better on employment & economy, though Alabama leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

CO
78.3 yrs
AL
73.2 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

CO
30%
AL
18%

Colorado performs 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.

Denver Rain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Montgomery Rain: 53.1 in/yr (1348 mm)
76° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Denver Montgomery
Jan–Mar 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) 63°/40°F (17°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) 84°/60°F (29°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) 90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) 69°/45°F (21°/7°C)
View all months
Month Denver Montgomery
Jan 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
Feb 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C)
Mar 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) 70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C)
Apr 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) 77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C)
May 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) 84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C)
Jun 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) 90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) 92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C)
Aug 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) 92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C)
Sep 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) 87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C)
Oct 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)
Nov 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) 69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C)
Dec 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) 60°/37°F (15.3°/3.0°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Alabama than Colorado?

On average Alabama is about 24% less expensive than Colorado, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Alabama?

Budget about $14,190 for 3 months in Alabama (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Alabama safe?

Alabama performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Alabama compared to Colorado?

Colorado performs better than Alabama across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Alabama compared to Colorado?

The average high temperature in Montgomery is 76°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Montgomery receives around 53.1 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.

Share this