Atlanta vs Birmingham
Atlanta, GA · Birmingham, AL
Birmingham is 24% cheaper than Atlanta overall.
Home Price
Atlanta: $385,000
Birmingham: $215,000
Monthly Rent
Atlanta: $1,576/mo
Birmingham: $898/mo
COL Index
Atlanta: 113
Birmingham: 86
Median Income
Atlanta: $71,400
Birmingham: $55,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Atlanta has the same purchasing power as $76,106 in Birmingham — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Birmingham cost 44% more (-$170,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Birmingham saves you $678/month — $8,136 per year. Median rent: $1,576/mo in Atlanta vs $898/mo in Birmingham.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Atlanta owners pay roughly $3,542/year in property taxes vs $882/year in Birmingham. That's a $2,661 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $71,400 in Atlanta and $55,800 in Birmingham. Birmingham residents earn 22% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Atlanta vs 24 minutes in Birmingham. Over a year, that's 3500 extra minutes (58 hours) of commuting in Atlanta.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Atlanta to Birmingham, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Atlanta | Equivalent in Birmingham | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $38,053 | -$11,947 |
| $75,000 | $57,080 | -$17,920 |
| $100,000 | $76,106 | -$23,894 |
| $150,000 | $114,159 | -$35,841 |
| $200,000 | $152,212 | -$47,788 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Atlanta Calculators
Birmingham Calculators
Related Comparisons
Atlanta vs Birmingham: Common Questions
Is Atlanta or Birmingham cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Birmingham is cheaper overall. Atlanta has a COL index of 113 while Birmingham scores 86 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Atlanta and Birmingham?
The median home price in Atlanta is $385,000 vs $215,000 in Birmingham — a difference of $170,000 (44%).
What salary do I need in Birmingham to match my Atlanta income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Atlanta is equivalent to $76,106 in Birmingham in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Birmingham has a lower property tax rate (0.41% vs 0.92%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $882/year vs $3,542/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.