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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Data: HUD rent estimates, BLS cost of living

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You'd spend $345/month more in San Antonio, TX

$150.0K in your current city equals $154.1K in San Antonio, TX

Rent data from HUD ZIP-level estimates ยท COL index from Birmingham-Hoover, AL area
Overall Cost
โ†‘ 4.6%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$345
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$4.1K
Per year

Based on monthly living costs (rent, groceries, utilities, transport, healthcare). Home purchase prices shown separately below.

Birmingham, AL

Population:201K
Cost Index:
100
100 = national average
Median Home:$90K

San Antonio, TX

Population:1547K
Cost Index:
105
(5% above avg)
Median Home:$215K

Birmingham, AL

The Heart of Dixie

201K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Alabama, this city has a population of 201K residents.

San Antonio, TX

The Lone Star State

1.5M
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Texas, this city has a population of 1.5M residents.

๐Ÿ’ก Advantage: Texas has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Annual spending: Birmingham, AL vs San Antonio, TX

Housing
โ†‘ 9.2%
Birmingham, AL
$1,923
San Antonio, TX
$2,100
Difference
$177
more
Transportation
โ†‘ 7.0%
Birmingham, AL
$1,202
San Antonio, TX
$1,287
Difference
$84.69
more
Other
โ†‘ 4.7%
Birmingham, AL
$1,574
San Antonio, TX
$1,647
Difference
$73.66
more
Groceries
โ†“ 4.8%
Birmingham, AL
$959
San Antonio, TX
$913
Difference
$45.97
less
All Utilities
โ†“ 8.4%
Birmingham, AL
$541
San Antonio, TX
$496
Difference
$45.35
less
Healthcare
โ†‘ 2.4%
Birmingham, AL
$514
San Antonio, TX
$527
Difference
$12.39
more

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Local Income Taxes

Birmingham, AL: Birmingham Occupational Tax$1,500/yr (1.0%)

San Antonio, TX has no local income tax.

Local taxes are in addition to state income tax. Not all cities levy local income taxes.

๐Ÿ Rent Comparison

Studio
From$880
To$1,110
โ†‘ $230
1 Bed
From$990
To$1,210
โ†‘ $220
2 Bed
From$1,085
To$1,470
โ†‘ $385
3 Bed
From$1,360
To$1,890
โ†‘ $530
Birmingham, ALZIP-level data

1BR range: $900โ€“$1,580/mo

San Antonio, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $840โ€“$1,770/mo

๐Ÿ’ก Note: Rent prices are based on HUD Fair Market Rent data and represent median costs. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$6,713
Monthly in Birmingham, AL
$6,969
Monthly in San Antonio, TX
$256
Difference

Home Values

Birmingham
San Antonio
$90K
Median Value
$215K
โ†“ -1.7%
YoY Change
โ†“ -2.9%
โ†‘ +16.6%
5-Year Change
โ†‘ +16.7%
$57K - $376K
Price Range
$107K - $905K

Homes in San Antonio are 139% more expensive than Birmingham

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
โ†‘ $7.5K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$622
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
5.0%
Rate difference

Birmingham, AL

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Alabama State Tax
Effective: 5.0%
$7.5K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 29.6%
$44.5K
Take-Home Pay
$8,794/month
$105.5K

San Antonio, TX

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Texas State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Birmingham, AL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.1%
Property Tax:0.4%

San Antonio, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%
Property Tax:1.8%

๐Ÿ’ก Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Birmingham
San Antonio
57 Moderate
Air Quality
52 Moderate
26%
Good Air Days
47.5%
98 High
Climate Risk
99 High
๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒก๐ŸŒช
Top Hazards
๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒก๐ŸŒช
โ–ฒ+2.5ยฐF
2050 Outlook
โ–ฒ+2.6ยฐF
41 days
Heat Days >95ยฐF
105 days
โ–ฒ+2.5ยฐF
2050 Outlook
โ–ฒ+2.6ยฐF
41 days
Heat Days >95ยฐF
105 days

๐Ÿ’ฐ See how taxes change too โ€” compare take-home pay between Alabama and Texas on TaxTakeHome.com

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