Cost of living index

Mobile, AL

88.1 / 100

Living in Mobile, AL is 11.9% cheaper than the US average — the #333 of 387 highest nationally.

Median rent: $1,021/mo

Median home value: $176,600

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider Mobile, AL metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Winter
64° / 43°F
(18° / 6°C)
15.6 in precip
Spring
78° / 57°F
(26° / 14°C)
16.5 in precip
Summer
90° / 72°F
(32° / 22°C)
21.1 in precip
Fall
79° / 58°F
(26° / 14°C)
13.8 in precip

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from MOBILE, via NOAA.

The Mobile, AL metro area has an overall price level of 88.1 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 11.9% lower than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 60.1 it is 39.9% below the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Overall#333 of 387
88.1
Goods#148 of 387
96.4
Housing rents#323 of 387
60.1
Utilities#278 of 387
84.2
Other services#296 of 387
96.7

Mobile, AL is moved down the most by housing rents, at 60.1 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is other services.

See all 12 metros in Alabama →See the cheapest and most expensive US metros →

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

Is Mobile, AL an expensive place to live?

Mobile, AL has an overall cost-of-living index of 88.1, where 100 is the US average. That makes it about 11.9% cheaper than the country as a whole.

Is housing expensive in Mobile, AL?

Housing rents in Mobile, AL score 60.1 against a US average of 100 — roughly 39.9% below average. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

How does Mobile, AL compare to the US average cost of living?

Overall prices in Mobile, AL sit at 88.1 versus 100 for the US average, with housing at 60.1. Figures come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2024.