Moving from Alabama to Georgia
Moving to Georgia on the same salary cuts your real buying power by 7.4%; you'd need about $71,100 to break even. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in GA: $71,100
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $71,100 in Georgia to match $65,000 in Alabama ($6,100 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $65,000 | Alabama | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $5,620 | $5,620 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $4,973 | $4,973 |
| State income tax | $2,729 | $2,495 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $51,679 | $51,913 |
Key facts: Alabama to Georgia
- Median rent
- $1,077 → $1,506/mo
- Median home value
- $233,300 → $343,300
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 88.8 → 96.3
- Road distance
- ≈ 200 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest → Above average
What changes when you move to Georgia
- State taxes are similar: the difference is under $250 a year at $65,000.
- BEA's housing price index is 44% higher in Georgia. Median rent goes from $1,077 to $1,506 a month and the median home value from $233,300 to $343,300.
- Homeowners pay more property tax: the median bill is $2,554 in Georgia vs $890 in Alabama.
- The average home electric bill is $151 a month in Georgia vs $174 in Alabama (EIA 2024), about $267 a year less.
- Prices for everyday goods are 3% higher (BEA). The statewide sales tax rate is 4% in Georgia vs 4% in Alabama, before local sales taxes.
Who moves from Alabama to Georgia
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 8,527 households (15,500 people) filed their taxes in Georgia after filing in Alabama the year before. That makes Georgia the #1 destination for people leaving Alabama. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $54,746. Going the other way, 9,224 households moved from Georgia to Alabama, a net loss of 697 households for Georgia.
Five-year trend
Moves from Alabama to Georgia reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 12% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Alabama to Georgia
Moving cost: $310–$4,860
Moving about 200 miles from Alabama to Georgia costs roughly $310 – $4,860, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $310 – $600 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $1,090 – $2,030 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $1,830 – $4,860 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 20 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Alabama to Georgia
Car shipping: $580–$890
Shipping a sedan from Alabama to Georgia on an open carrier costs about $580–$890, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 200 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Alabama vs Georgia take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in GA | Take-home change | Take-home in AL | Take-home in GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $54,100 | +$323 | $40,286 | $40,609 |
| $75,000 | $82,400 | +$133 | $58,466 | $58,599 |
| $100,000 | $109,900 | -$140 | $75,079 | $74,939 |
| $150,000 | $165,500 | -$713 | $107,768 | $107,055 |
| $250,000 | $277,800 | -$2,032 | $173,487 | $171,456 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
Cost of living: Alabama vs Georgia
| Measure | Alabama | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 88.8 | 96.3 |
| Housing price index | 61.8 | 88.7 |
| Utilities price index | 84.6 | 92.8 |
| Goods price index | 96.4 | 98.9 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $1,077 | $1,506 |
| Median home value | $233,300 | $343,300 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $890 | $2,554 |
| Electricity (residential) | 16.40¢/kWh | 16.36¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 4% | 4% |
| Median household income | $66,659 | $79,991 |
Renting and buying: Alabama vs Georgia
| Measure | Alabama | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $43,080 | $60,240 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $1,442 | $2,165 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $61,816 | $92,777 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,593 | $1,608 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $8,632 | $11,066 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Georgia for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Alabama vs Georgia
On a $65,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $39,094 a year in Alabama and $43,879 in Georgia if you rent: $4,785 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $43,479 and $51,785 ($8,306 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | AL | GA | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $65,000, single filer | $13,322 | $13,088 | -$234 |
| Electricity state average bill | $2,082 | $1,815 | -$267 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,081 | $1,555 | +$474 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,945 | $1,969 | +$24 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,740 | $7,380 | -$360 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $12,924 | $18,072 | +$5,148 |
| Total if you rent | $39,094 | $43,879 | +$4,785 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $14,826 | $21,816 | +$6,990 |
| Property tax median home | $890 | $2,554 | +$1,664 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,593 | $1,608 | +$15 |
| Total if you buy | $43,479 | $51,785 | +$8,306 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $8,632 a year in Alabama and $11,066 in Georgia (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Georgia cities: Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, GA.
After you arrive in Georgia
- Georgia new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Alabama and Georgia.
- How Georgia taxes retirement income.
- Live in Georgia but keep working in Alabama? See who taxes your wages.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Georgia to live like I do in Alabama?
A $65,000 salary in Alabama works out to about $71,100 in Georgia once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $109,900.
Will I pay less tax in Georgia than in Alabama?
Yes, about $234 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $65,000 salary (20.5% of pay in Alabama vs 20.1% in Georgia). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Alabama to Georgia?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 200 miles, expect roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a moving container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Alabama to Georgia?
Moves from Alabama to Georgia reached a five-year high in 2022–23, up 12% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Alabama to Georgia?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 8,527 households (15,500 people) moved from Alabama to Georgia, making Georgia the #1 destination for people leaving Alabama. 9,224 households moved the other way.
Is Georgia cheaper than Alabama?
Overall prices in Georgia are 8.4% higher than Alabama (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,506 vs $1,077 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Alabama actually move
- AL to Florida 7,060 households
- AL to Tennessee 4,554 households
- AL to Texas 4,359 households
- AL to Mississippi 2,588 households
- AL to North Carolina 1,904 households
- AL to California 1,589 households
- AL to Virginia 1,388 households
- AL to South Carolina 1,189 households