

Alexandria vs Birmingham
$220/mo less in Birmingham
AlexandriaBirminghamAbout 366 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Birmingham costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,353/mo in Birmingham. $2,573/mo in Alexandria. −$2,640 a year.
Alexandria
$2,573
left each month
Birmingham
$2,353
−$220 vs Alexandria
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
−$220 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Alexandria | Birmingham | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,667 | $7,174 | +$507 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,447 | $1,843 | +$396 |
| Take-home pay | $5,220 | $5,331 | +$111 |
| Rent | $803 | $1,106 | +$303 |
| Getting around | $539 | $553 | +$14 |
| Groceries | $360 | $364 | +$4 |
| Healthcare | $405 | $410 | +$5 |
| Utilities | $225 | $228 | +$3 |
| Everything else | $315 | $319 | +$4 |
| Left over | $2,573 | $2,353 | −$220 |
Salary to match Alexandria
$90,000
Gross pay in Birmingham that leaves the same amount as $80,000 in Alexandria.
Tax difference
−$2,950
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.7% in Alexandria, 25.7% in Birmingham.
More about Birmingham
Alexandria, LA in full
A flat 3% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $956 and 226 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
Birmingham, AL in full
The lowest property tax rate in the country, on cheap houses.
The other way
Start in Birmingham.
Birmingham → Alexandria →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Birmingham than Alexandria?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Birmingham leaves about $220 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $803 in Alexandria and $1,106 in Birmingham.
Does Birmingham have state income tax?
Birmingham is in Alabama, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.
What changes if you move from Alexandria to Birmingham?
The paycheck is taxed in Alabama. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Alexandria and Birmingham changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.