A+
14%
Overall NAT. AVG.
5%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
37%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Fairfield Alabama National
Cost of living8689100
Goods & Services9595100
Groceries10098100
Health care9091100
Housing6374100
Transportation8990100
Utilities10498100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Fairfield, AL

The cost of living in Fairfield affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Fairfield is 86, which is 14% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Is Fairfield Affordable?

Is Fairfield affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Fairfield, the median home price is 46.4% lower than the national average and monthly rent prices are 14.1% lower than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Fairfield boasting a median household income of $61,023, 25% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Fairfield?

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may institute government subsidies or assistance programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with the cost of living for their residents. These programs encompass a variety of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Areas that provide fewer subsidies may see an uptick in their overall cost of living.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Fairfield, healthcare costs are 9.6% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Fairfield cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Fairfield is 2% lower than the Alabama average
  • The cost of living in Fairfield is 14% lower than the national average
  • Fairfield housing is 37% lower than the national average
  • Alabama general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • Alabama state income tax is 23% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Fairfield

See all the best places to live around Fairfield

Compare Fairfield, AL Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$80,795$6,733$1,885$2,424
      Renters$40,397$3,366$943$1,212
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Fairfield, AL, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Fairfield, the median monthly income is $80,795 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $1,885 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $40,397, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $943 on monthly rental expenses.

      Alabama Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Alabama 4% 13.5%

      Alabama Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Alabama 2% 5%

      Goods & Services

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      Haircut $25.08$27.629.2%
      Beauty Salon $43.89$51.1114.1%
      Toothpaste $4.03$4.091.5%
      Shampoo $1.65$1.547.0%
      Movie $13.46$12.884.5%
      Yoga $15.33$19.6622.0%

      Groceries

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.63$7.701.0%
      Fried Chicken $1.47$1.6611.6%
      Milk $4.78$4.731.0%
      Potatoes $5.51$5.264.8%
      Pizza $11.86$12.767.1%
      Beer $10.30$10.552.4%

      Health Care

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $108.30$140.0622.7%
      Doctor $124.17$153.8219.3%
      Dentist $130.47$123.155.9%
      Ibuprofen $11.47$11.732.2%
      Lipitor $17.13$23.6127.4%

      Housing

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      Home Price $175,160.00$326,622.0046.4%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,970.45$2,480.2520.6%
      Apartment Rent $1,241.00$1,444.0014.1%

      Transportation

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.79$3.068.7%
      Tire Balancing $55.34$65.2115.1%

      Utilities

      Item Fairfield National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $237.08$220.127.7%
      Phone $193.60$195.711.1%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Cardiff, AL487524.5%
      Mount Olive CDP (Coosa County), AL2847921.3%
      Edgewater, AL8528119.0%
      North Johns, AL1568218.5%
      Brighton, AL2,9398218.4%
      Fairfield, AL10,9808613.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Lansdowne, PA10,9801033.4%
      Muskegon Heights, MI10,9798217.9%
      Waipio, HI10,98517777.4%
      Columbia, IL10,9851000.2%
      Jackson, WY10,97217978.7%
      Fairfield, AL10,9808613.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.