USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Alabama vs Florida: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in Alabama or Florida?

  • Overall, Florida is 16.4% more expensive than Alabama (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Alabama works out to about $87,300 in Florida, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 97.6% more in Florida. Goods are 1.7% higher and other services 4.8% higher.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $57,131 in Florida and $52,216 in Alabama (9.4% higher in Florida; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 85.4 in The Villages, FL to 114.2 in Miami, FL (Florida) and from 83.8 in Dothan, AL to 94.7 in Daphne, AL (Alabama), US = 100.
  • The gap has widened since 2019, when Florida was 12.8% more expensive than Alabama.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Housing drives the gap: 97.6% higher in Florida than in Alabama

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Alabama
  • Florida
All items
88.8 103.4
Goods
96.4 98.1
Housing (rents)
61.8 122.1
Utilities
84.6 90.1
Other services
96.7 101.3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
All items88.8103.4
Goods96.498.1
Housing (rents)61.8122.1
Utilities84.690.1
Other services96.7101.3
CategoryAlabamaFloridaFlorida vs Alabama
All items88.8103.4+16.4%
Goods96.498.1+1.7%
Housing (rents)61.8122.1+97.6%
Utilities84.690.1+6.4%
Other services96.7101.3+4.8%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $52,216 $57,131 +9.4%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $3.78 $3.98 +5.2%
Salary to match $75,000 in Alabama $75,000 $87,300 +16.4%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Gulf Coast region average (EIA has no separate Alabama figure).

Cheapest and most expensive places in each state

Alabama

  1. Dothan, AL 83.8
  2. Florence, AL 84.8
  3. Gadsden, AL 85.7
  4. Anniston, AL 85.9
  5. Decatur, AL 87.2
  6. Tuscaloosa, AL 87.7
  7. Auburn, AL 87.9
  8. Mobile, AL 88.1
  9. Columbus, GA 89.3
  10. Montgomery, AL 89.7
  11. Birmingham, AL 91.6
  12. Huntsville, AL 93.1
  13. Daphne, AL 94.7

Florida

  1. The Villages, FL 85.4
  2. Sebring, FL 92.5
  3. Homosassa Springs, FL 93.5
  4. Tallahassee, FL 93.9
  5. Ocala, FL 95.2
  6. Gainesville, FL 96.7
  7. Crestview, FL 97.0
  8. Lakeland, FL 97.1
  9. Panama City, FL 97.3
  10. Pensacola, FL 97.7
  11. Sebastian, FL 98.3
  12. Deltona, FL 99.4
  13. Jacksonville, FL 99.5
  14. Palm Bay, FL 100.0
  15. Port St. Lucie, FL 100.2
  16. Punta Gorda, FL 100.5
  17. Tampa, FL 100.9
  18. Orlando, FL 101.4
  19. Cape Coral, FL 102.3
  20. North Port, FL 102.4
  21. Naples, FL 103.2
  22. Miami, FL 114.2

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Alabama and Florida has widened since 2008: 12.8 points then, 14.6 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Alabama
  • Florida
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
200888.9101.7
200987.8100.5
201089.8100.4
201190.0100.8
201290.6101.1
201390.3100.7
201490.2100.9
201589.7101.3
201690.6101.1
201790.1100.9
201887.4100.3
201988.399.6
202087.6100.6
202188.1101.4
202288.0102.3
202389.1103.6
202488.8103.4

Goods

  • Alabama
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
200896.098.9
200994.097.0
201096.497.3
201196.097.4
201295.298.0
201396.298.6
201496.398.3
201595.297.4
201696.197.5
201795.598.4
201892.597.7
201994.696.1
202094.497.4
202193.998.4
202294.798.0
202394.698.2
202496.498.1

Housing (rents)

  • Alabama
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
200859.9115.1
200960.1111.0
201061.5108.7
201160.9108.2
201262.3108.8
201361.4107.4
201459.9108.2
201559.2109.3
201660.5109.4
201761.1110.5
201859.6110.7
201960.3112.0
202059.6113.6
202160.6112.9
202257.5116.3
202361.6123.2
202461.8122.1

Utilities

  • Alabama
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
200890.998.6
200991.0101.2
201093.096.2
201193.195.3
201295.193.5
201393.593.6
201494.395.3
201594.792.4
201694.789.9
201793.787.5
201888.091.1
201986.494.4
202084.889.8
202186.690.0
202288.094.8
202389.993.7
202484.690.1

Other services

  • Alabama
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
AlabamaFlorida
200897.899.0
200996.799.0
201098.499.8
201199.8101.0
2012100.8100.9
201399.9100.3
201499.9100.5
2015100.0101.8
2016100.6101.3
201799.0100.1
201895.999.2
201996.998.3
202096.598.8
202196.1100.4
202297.1101.2
202398.2101.5
202496.7101.3

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $57,131 in Florida, $52,216 in Alabama

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
AlabamaFloridaUnited States
2008$42,219$43,259$45,816
2009$41,966$41,209$44,204
2010$41,709$42,735$44,808
2011$41,819$43,268$45,957
2012$41,592$43,189$46,796
2013$41,325$42,278$46,358
2014$41,984$43,812$47,661
2015$43,809$45,693$49,396
2016$43,554$46,126$49,828
2017$44,481$48,141$51,006
2018$46,440$49,935$52,242
2019$47,130$52,128$53,683
2020$50,186$53,897$56,514
2021$52,875$56,789$59,365
2022$50,649$55,163$57,104
2023$50,902$56,138$58,088
2024$52,216$57,131$59,195

More

Related state comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
  • Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.

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