Wildwood, FL vs Gardendale, AL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Gardendale, AL has a modeled overall cost index 13.9% lower than Wildwood, FL.

Wildwood, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,280 / month
Gardendale, AL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,290 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Wildwood, FL and Gardendale, AL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Wildwood, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,028/month in Gardendale, AL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $137,662 in Gardendale, AL

Regional cost estimates: Wildwood, FL uses Orlando, FL. Gardendale, AL uses Birmingham, AL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 13.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,028

Savings

Annual Impact

$12.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Wildwood, FL

Population:19K

Cost Index:

95.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$268K

Gardendale, AL

Population:16K

Cost Index:

82.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$263K

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Wildwood, FL

The Sunshine State

19K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 19K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Gardendale, AL

The Heart of Dixie

16K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Alabama, this city has a population of 16K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wildwood, FL vs Gardendale, AL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Wildwood, FL	Gardendale, AL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,348/mo	$1,703/mo	↓ $645less	27.5%
Other	$1,745/mo	$1,548/mo	↓ $197less	11.3%
Transportation	$1,239/mo	$1,183/mo	↓ $56.74less	4.6%
Healthcare	$571/mo	$520/mo	↓ $50.94less	8.9%
Groceries	$1,022/mo	$971/mo	↓ $50.87less	5.0%
All Utilities	$575/mo	$547/mo	↓ $27.66less	4.8%

Housing

↓ 27.5%

Wildwood, FL

$2,348

Gardendale, AL

$1,703

Difference

$645

less

Other

↓ 11.3%

Wildwood, FL

$1,745

Gardendale, AL

$1,548

Difference

$197

less

Transportation

↓ 4.6%

Wildwood, FL

$1,239

Gardendale, AL

$1,183

Difference

$56.74

less

Healthcare

↓ 8.9%

Wildwood, FL

$571

Gardendale, AL

$520

Difference

$50.94

less

Groceries

↓ 5.0%

Wildwood, FL

$1,022

Gardendale, AL

$971

Difference

$50.87

less

All Utilities

↓ 4.8%

Wildwood, FL

$575

Gardendale, AL

$547

Difference

$27.66

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,040

To$1,040

→ $0

1 Bed

From$1,100

To$1,180

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$1,280

To$1,290

↑ $10.00

3 Bed

From$1,600

To$1,610

↑ $10.00

Wildwood, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,100–$1,100/mo

Gardendale, ALZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,180–$1,180/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Wildwood, FL

$6,472

Monthly in Gardendale, AL

$1,028

Difference

Home Values

Wildwood

Gardendale

$268K

Median Value

$263K

↓ -3.5%

YoY Change

↑ +1.6%

↑ +31%

5-Year Change

↑ +28.8%

Homes in Gardendale are 2% less expensive than Wildwood

Calculate payment - Wildwood Calculate payment - Gardendale

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$622

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.0%

Rate difference

Wildwood, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Gardendale, 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

Additional Tax Information

Wildwood, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Gardendale, AL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.1%

Property Tax:0.4%

💡 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

Wildwood

Gardendale

41 Good

Air Quality

57 Moderate

75.6%

Good Air Days

26%

98 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

41 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

41 days

Before moving from Wildwood, FL to Gardendale, AL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Gardendale, AL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wildwood, FL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Wildwood to Gardendale moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Gardendale, AL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wildwood, FL vs Gardendale, AL

How do the cost estimates for Wildwood, FL and Gardendale, AL compare?

Gardendale, AL has a modeled overall cost index 13.9% lower than Wildwood, FL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Wildwood, FL, the model estimates $137,662 in Gardendale, AL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Wildwood, FL and Gardendale, AL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,280/month in Wildwood, FL and $1,290/month in Gardendale, AL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Florida and Alabama on TaxTakeHome.com