Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Split Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Split

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,937 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,800 in Split.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,676 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,790 in Split.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,415 in Montgomery, AL versus $3,780 in Split.

Living in Montgomery, AL is roughly 8% more expensive than Split, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montgomery, AL 45% above, Split 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.26 €14.86

18.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 $52.4

$81.3 €70.0

-35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$9.23 €7.95

20.91%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$2.83 €2.44

83.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.54 €3.05

-31.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.89 €2.49

-28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 $4.22

$5.47 €4.71

-22.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$4.98 €4.29

-17.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.42 €1.22

-37.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.96 €1.68

-21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.74 €3.22

-33.42%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$3.90 €3.36

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$12.57 €10.83

-44.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.49 €8.17

-15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$13.53 €11.65

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$1.95 €1.68

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.96 €1.69

-30.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.31 €1.99

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.27 €1.96

52.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.50 €1.29

43.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.37 €1.18

37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.42 €1.23

45.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.28 €1.10

-5.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 $6.91

$5.90 €5.08

17.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 $13.85

$9.09 €7.83

52.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.70 €1.47

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.43 €2.09

-39.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.70 €1.46

18.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.12 €32.82

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.37 €2.90

2.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$2.11 €1.81

-42.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.63 $29.63

$9.48 €8.16

212.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.77 €1.53

-57.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K $29.8K

$37.5K €32.3K

-20.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.3K €22.7K

-2.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$298 $298

$215 €185

38.15%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.4 $50.4

$23.99 €20.66

110.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$35.09 €30.22

85.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.09 $38.09

$60.9 €52.4

-37.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 €12.70

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 $9.92

$9.20 €7.92

7.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,309 $1,309

$192 €165

582.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$9,077 €7,816

11.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$82.2 €70.8

-32.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.99 $24.99

$39.64 €34.14

-36.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 $69.6

$108 €92.7

-35.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$107 €92.1

30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$965 €831

29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$712 €613

5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$1,909 €1,644

-16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 $938

$1,252 €1,078

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,373 $1,373

$7,437 €6,404

-81.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 $1,393

$5,150 €4,435

-72.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$1,687 €1,453

115.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

4.27

50.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Montgomery, AL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Split: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,246 in Montgomery, AL and $965 in Split. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 116% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Montgomery, AL vs $81.0 in Split for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $292 per month, with Montgomery, AL cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Montgomery, AL vs Split: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montgomery, AL and Split differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,937 vs $1,800 including rent). Split is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Montgomery, AL pays 116% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,246 in Montgomery, AL versus $965 in Split. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Montgomery, AL pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,937 per month in Montgomery, AL versus $1,800 in Split – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,800 in Split versus $1,937 in Montgomery, AL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Split but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. The gap between the two cities makes Split the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montgomery, AL and Split are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Split gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.