How Much Does It Cost to Live In Huntsville, AL?
Huntsville is located in northern Alabama, very close to the border with Tennessee.
It is, actually, the county seat of Madison County.
The cost of living in Huntsville is pretty reasonable: as much as 70% lower than Washington DC or the major California cities.
You’re not going to get the “big city” vibes in Huntsville, but it truly is a great place to raise a family.
Many who come to Huntsville from other parts of the nation are pleasantly surprised by how it beats most of the usual “deep South” stereotypes.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Bellingham, WA
- Berkeley, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Brooklyn, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, VT
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
- Gainesville, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Olympia, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Peoria, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Salem, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Springfield, MO
- Syracuse, NY
- Tacoma, WA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
Like most cities, Huntsville does have its fair share of fast-food restaurants, but there are many local eateries as well that serve every budget and taste.
There are all kinds of restaurants and things to do in Huntsville and it’s still growing.
The prices are reasonable and well within the regular American price range.
MARKETS
Food and groceries are on par with all major cities.
There are many grocery stores around.
If you know how to cook, you will find all the ingredients you need here which is great news because you can save a ton of money this way.
You should know that supermarkets keep basically the same prices as all the other stores in the country.
TRANSPORTATION
Huntsville is very car-oriented, and if you don’t have a car, bear in mind that public transportation is not popular in Huntsville, but it does exist.
It includes 13 different bus routes, including a Tourist Trolley, which loops past most of the city’s attractions and shopping areas.
It’s very cheap though: a one-way ticket costs only 1$.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Everything in Huntsville is relatively cheaper than the nation’s average – except for the bills.
When there’s heavy usage of utilities, like during summer in Alabama, the utility bill will likely double.
For an apartment around 85m2 (which is definitely bigger than a usual apartment for one or two people), these will cost you 200$ approximately.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Having fun and indulging in sports isn’t too expensive in Huntsville, though there are many ways to stay fit outdoors and not spend any money in a gym or a fitness club.
A membership at the gym or a fitness club can’t go by without you cashing out around 31$, while those that love going to the movies will have to cash out 10$ per person for a cinema ticket.
CLOTHING & SHOES
There are many, many shopping options in Huntsville, such as Parkway Place, which is an enclosed mall with 70 upscale shops and restaurants.
The prices are reasonable.
If you want a pair of Levi’s, it will cost you around 30$, though.
Quality sneakers cost more, around 71$.
RENT PER MONTH
As for rent, you are looking on average at around 600$-800$ for a decent one-bedroom apartment in a nice area of the city.
And of course, the closer you get to the city center, the more expensive the apartments will be.
You can always go to the suburbs and rent a charming apartment further from the city – it’ll cost you less than 1000$.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Huntsville, AL
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $15.50 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $4.75 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $2.01 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.97 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.93 |
| Eggs (12) | $4.31 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.00 |
| Monthly Pass | $115.00 |
| Gasoline | $0.82 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $198.7 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $66.88 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $31.2 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $2.50 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $9.50 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $30.98 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $24.50 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $71.17 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1300.00 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $975.00 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1150.00 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Huntsville, AL?
Most of the money in the city of Huntsville gets spent on food, and people go and spent huge bulks of money in markets and grocery stores.
You can count on 200$ a week going on food if you have a family.
Another one of the biggest expenses is rent, as it can be pretty steep in certain areas, and life, in general, is harder in Alabama if you’re renting a place.
Restaurants and transportation go side by side like in most countries – though transportation is cheap, it’s essential for everyone, every day, and as for the restaurants – you can’t help visiting them in the crowded, busy streets of Huntsville.
Average Costs Breakdown
Huntsville, AL: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The quality of life is very good. There are still poor areas of Huntsville, but compared to some other places in Alabama, the average citizen in Huntsville lives a pretty good life.
Property taxes and state and local taxes are in the bottom 20% of all states.
The average monthly net salary in Huntsville is relatively high, so most people can live without any problems.
However, if you’re the type of person to go out every night, spend money in bars and restaurants, and act comfortably when it comes to pastime and leisure – you might find this average salary a bit too low.
Huntsville Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Huntsville Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
