Question 1

Is Knoxville or Montgomery cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Montgomery, AL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $245/month less than in Knoxville, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,471/mo in Knoxville versus $1,016/mo in Montgomery.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Knoxville vs Montgomery?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $65,500/year before tax in Knoxville, TN and $64,500/year in Montgomery, AL — a difference of about $1,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Knoxville or Montgomery cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Montgomery, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $8,539/month in Knoxville and $7,971/month in Montgomery, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Knoxville or Montgomery?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Montgomery costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Knoxville62	Montgomery63
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,787	$3,542
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$8,539	$7,971
Salary for comfort	$65,500/yr	$64,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,471	$1,016
Median home value	$214,000	$148,500
Median household income	$50,994	$55,687
Unemployment	3.7%	4.3%
Housing score	42	93
Jobs score	64	38
Safety score	31	30
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	33	17
Population	193.7K	198.4K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 29°	92° / 36°

Knoxville, TN vs Montgomery, AL