Moving to Alabama from Georgia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Georgia to Alabama — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Georgia to Alabama, you would find that Alabama is 9.7% cheaper than Georgia. A $75,000 salary in Georgia would need to be roughly $64,375 in Alabama to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Georgia to Alabama.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $64,375

To maintain the same standard of living in Alabama

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 5.4% less

Groceries

pay 0.4% less

Transportation

pay 11.3% less

Housing

pay 21.3% less

Childcare

pay 9.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 9.0% 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Georgia to Alabama.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
343
AL
397
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

GA
1779
AL
1671

Georgia generally does better on safety, though Alabama leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

GA
11.8%
AL
9.0%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

GA
37.0%
AL
39.6%

Georgia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alabama leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

GA
$272,900
AL
$195,100
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

GA
$1,306
AL
$963

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

GA
89.5%
AL
85.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

GA
28 min
AL
25 min

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GA
3.3%
AL
2.3%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GA
$61,706
AL
$49,225

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

GA
75.6 yrs
AL
73.2 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

GA
22%
AL
18%

Georgia 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.

AtlantaRain: 49.7 in/yr (1263 mm)
72°/53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsAtlantaMontgomery
Jan–Mar58°/39°F (14°/4°C)63°/40°F (17°/4°C)
Apr–Jun79°/60°F (26°/16°C)84°/60°F (29°/16°C)
Jul–Sep86°/69°F (30°/20°C)90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec64°/45°F (17°/7°C)69°/45°F (21°/7°C)
View all months
MonthAtlantaMontgomery
Jan52°/34°F (11.3°/1.3°C)57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
Feb57°/38°F (13.7°/3.2°C)62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C)
Mar65°/44°F (18.1°/6.7°C)70°/45°F (20.9°/7.4°C)
Apr72°/51°F (22.5°/10.8°C)77°/52°F (24.8°/10.9°C)
May80°/60°F (26.6°/15.7°C)84°/61°F (28.9°/15.9°C)
Jun86°/68°F (30.2°/20.1°C)90°/68°F (32.1°/20.1°C)
Jul89°/71°F (31.7°/21.8°C)92°/71°F (33.4°/21.9°C)
Aug88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)92°/71°F (33.3°/21.7°C)
Sep82°/65°F (27.9°/18.2°C)87°/65°F (30.7°/18.4°C)
Oct73°/54°F (22.6°/12.2°C)78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)
Nov64°/44°F (17.6°/6.9°C)69°/44°F (20.6°/6.6°C)
Dec54°/36°F (12.2°/2.5°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 Georgia?

Yes — Alabama is on average about 14% cheaper than Georgia. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Alabama?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,094 in Alabama on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Alabama safe?

Georgia generally does better on safety, though Alabama leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Alabama compared to Georgia?

Georgia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alabama leads in uninsured rate.

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

The average high temperature in Montgomery is 76°F, compared to 72°F in Atlanta. Montgomery receives around 53.1 in of rainfall per year, while Atlanta gets 49.7 in.

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