Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,020 in Montgomery, AL. Overall, Montgomery, AL is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $55,687 in Montgomery, AL — about 17% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Montgomery, AL

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$864
+23% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$831
+27% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$982
+29% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,172
+24% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$148,500
+44% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$55,687
+17% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$44,950
+8% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
36.2 yr
+0.2 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
54.3%
+3.1 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
33.5%
+1.7 pp in Montgomery, AL
Avg Commute
24.1 min
20.5 min
+3.6 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
605.5
+8% in Montgomery, AL
Property Crime
2,600.1
2,258.3
+13% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
65.1°F
+5.1°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
53.1 in
+3.9 in in Montgomery, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.83/gal
$3.62/gal
+5% in Jacksonville, FL

Area: Florida vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
16.4
+9% in Montgomery, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$24.06
+2% in Montgomery, AL

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 (FL / AL)
6%
4%
+2.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.00%
+5.0 pp in AL

Jacksonville vs Montgomery — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Montgomery?
Montgomery, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Montgomery?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $33,000 in Montgomery.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Montgomery?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).