Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Montgomery

Alabama

$1,020/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,020 in Montgomery, AL. Overall, Montgomery, AL is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $55,687 in Montgomery, AL — about 24% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Montgomery, AL

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$864
+21% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$831
+30% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$982
+30% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,172
+36% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$148,500
+46% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$55,687
+24% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$44,950
+13% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
36.2 yr
+2.6 yr in Montgomery, AL
Homeownership
54.8%
54.3%
+0.5 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
33.5%
+0.4 pp in Montgomery, AL
Avg Commute
26.7 min
20.5 min
+6.2 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
605.5
+23% in Montgomery, AL
Property Crime
2,434.5
2,258.3
+7% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
65.1°F
+0.3°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
53.1 in
+13.5 in in Montgomery, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.62/gal
+1% in Montgomery, AL

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
16.4
+3% in Montgomery, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$24.06
+25% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / AL)
6.25%
4%
+2.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.00%
+5.0 pp in AL

Arlington vs Montgomery — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Montgomery?
Montgomery, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Montgomery?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $33,000 in Montgomery.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Montgomery?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Montgomery under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).