Living Cost Compare
Montgomery

Alabama

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Montgomery, AL is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $55,687 in Montgomery, AL and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 2% higher in Montgomery, AL. Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Montgomery, AL
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$864
$795
+8% in Montgomery, AL
1 Bedroom
$831
$891
+7% in Tucson, AZ
2 Bedroom
$982
$1,146
+17% in Tucson, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,172
$1,520
+30% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$148,500
$242,200
+63% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$55,687
$54,546
+2% in Montgomery, AL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$44,950
$47,760
+6% in Tucson, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.2 yr
34.6 yr
+1.6 yr in Montgomery, AL
Homeownership
54.3%
51.7%
+2.6 pp in Montgomery, AL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
30.2%
+3.3 pp in Montgomery, AL
Avg Commute
20.5 min
22.2 min
+1.7 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
605.5
645.8
+7% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
2,258.3
3,460
+53% in Tucson, AZ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.1°F
70.2°F
+5.1°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
53.1 in
11.6 in
+41.5 in in Montgomery, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.21/gal
+44% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
15.2
+7% in Montgomery, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.06
$24.74
+3% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Tucson, AZ
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Tucson, AZ
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Montgomery, AL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Tucson, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Tucson, AZ
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AL / AZ)
4%
5.6%
+1.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
5.00%
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AL

Montgomery vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Montgomery or Tucson?
Montgomery, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Montgomery than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Montgomery versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Montgomery or Tucson?
Montgomery is taxed under Alabama's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).