Alabama to Florida Moving Guide
Updated June 16, 2025

Planning a 567 mile interstate move from Alabama to Florida? This moving guide will help you compare living in Alabama vs Florida across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like humidity vs sunny beaches), food & health (like Barbecue ribs vs Key lime pie), real estate & housing (antebellum, colonial vs spanish, mediterranean), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Florida), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Barbecue ribs and Pulled pork, but get your taste buds ready for Key lime pie & Cuban sandwich
- Florida housing costs are 76% more expensive than they are in Alabama
- Rent in Florida is 50.93% more expensive than in Alabama
- Moving from Alabama to Florida will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,500
- Our top recommended Alabama to Florida movers is Sebastian Moving and More
Alabama to Florida Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Alabama to Florida
- Humidity
- Lack of coastline
- Limited theme parks
- Fewer job opportunities
- Sunny beaches
- Warm winters
- Vibrant tourism
- Growing economy
- Higher cost of living
- Frequent hurricanes
- High humidity
- Tourist congestion
- Southern hospitality
- Quaint small towns
- Rich history
- Lower traffic
Pros of moving from Alabama to Florida
- Say goodbye to humidity and hello to sunny beaches
- Look forward to moving away from the lack of coastline and moving to Florida with warm winters
- Swap the limited theme parks of Alabama for vibrant tourism in Florida
- Get ready for a growing economy in Florida
Cons of moving from Alabama to Florida
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from southern hospitality in Alabama to live with a higher cost of living in Florida
- You'll lose out on the pro of quaint small towns and have to settle for the con of frequent hurricanes
- Time to bid farewell to rich history and get used to high humidity in Florida
- Swap lower traffic for tourist congestion
Alabama vs. Florida: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Barbecue ribs | Key lime pie |
Most popular meat dish | Pulled pork | Cuban sandwich |
Most popular street food item | Hot Chicken | Empanadas |
Most popular vegan food | Black-eyed pea hummus | Mango avocado salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
|
|
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Alabama to Florida, you will be trading the iconic barbecue ribs of Alabama for the equally delicious Key lime pie of Florida. And while the locals in Alabama rave about their flavorful pulled pork and sumptuous hot chicken, Florida residents know they have tasty Cuban sandwiches and empanadas to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the black-eyed pea hummus they've grown to love, they can get ready for the mango avocado salad of Florida. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Alabama eateries like Highlands Bar and Grill, Saw's BBQ, and Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q. After the boxes are unpacked in Florida, don't wait too long before making your way to Florida's acclaimed eateries like Joe's Stone Crab, Versailles Restaurant, and Bern's Steak House.
When comparing lifestyles, Florida shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Alabama. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Florida compared to what you are used to in Alabama. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Florida.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Alabama and Florida
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Antebellum, Colonial | Spanish, Mediterranean |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Large Yards, Privacy | Waterfront, Pools |
- The Antebellum and Colonial architecture that Alabama is known for will be replaced with the Spanish and Mediterranean architecture typical of Florida.
- Compared to Alabama's real estate listings that commonly reference large yards and privacy, Florida real estate listings often highlight features like waterfront properties and pools.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Florida is more walkable than Alabama.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Florida is more bike-friendly than Alabama.
- Florida has more of an urban feel than Alabama.
- Florida housing costs are 76% more expensive than they are in Alabama, with a median home price of $397,137 compared to Alabamaβs $226,045.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Florida have increased by 66% compared to a 45% increase in Alabama.
- Rent in Florida is 50.93% more expensive than in Alabama.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Alabama and Florida
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Tornadoes, Hurricanes | Hurricanes, Tropical Storms |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 90Β°F / 72Β°F | 91Β°F / 75Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 57Β°F / 36Β°F | 70Β°F / 48Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 58 | 54 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 1 | 0 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Alabama to Florida. Florida gets 11% more sunshine days than Alabama.
- Florida has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Alabama.
- Say goodbye to the possible tornadoes and hurricanes in Alabama, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and tropical storms in Florida.
- The average summer high temperature in Florida is 1 degree warmer than in Alabama.
- The average winter lows are 12 degrees warmer than they are in Alabama.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Florida. Florida receives 4 fewer inches of rain compared to Alabama.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Alabama and Florida
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $59,674 | $69,303 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.2 | 97.8 |
State Income Tax | 5% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.41% | 0.83% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 9% | 7.05% |
Top 3 Industries | Manufacturing, Education, Healthcare | Tourism, Agriculture, Healthcare |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Florida tend to earn about 16% more than in Alabama
- The COLI in Florida is 7% higher than what you are used to living in Alabama
- Hooray, moving to Florida means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Florida is high compared to moderate affluence in Alabama
- The poverty level is low in Florida compared to moderate poverty in Alabama
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Alabama and moderate in Florida
Political and Religious Climate in Alabama vs. Florida
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Traditionally Conservative | Swing State |
Local Politics | Republican-controlled State Legislature | Mixed control of local politics |
Religion | Highly religious, predominantly Christian | Diverse religious landscape |
- Alabama tends to lean traditionally Conservative in its political climate
- Florida, on the other hand, is often described as a swing State
- Florida's religious environment can be described as a diverse religious landscape
- Alabama's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as highly religious and predominantly Christian
Education Guide When Moving from Alabama to Florida
Comparison | Alabama | Florida |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Alabama Auburn University University of South Alabama | University of Florida Florida State University University of Miami |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Greystone Elementary School (Hoover) Mt Laurel Elementary School (Birmingham) Legacy Elementary School (Madison) | Pine View School (Osprey) Doral Academy of Technology (Doral) North Beach Elementary School (Miami Beach) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Discovery Middle School (Madison) Liberty Park Middle School (Vestavia Hills) Berry Middle School (Hoover) | Bob Graham Education Center (Miami Lakes) Archimedean Middle Conservatory (Miami) Falcon Cove Middle School (Weston) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School (Montgomery) Mountain Brook High School (Mountain Brook) Vestavia Hills High School (Vestavia Hills) | Design and Architecture Senior High (Miami) Pine View School (Osprey) Stanton College Preparatory School (Jacksonville) |
Top 3 private high schools | The Altamont School (Birmingham) Indian Springs School (Indian Springs) Randolph School (Huntsville) | Ransom Everglades School (Coconut Grove) The Bolles School (Jacksonville) Pine Crest School (Fort Lauderdale) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Montgomery Academy (Montgomery) Saint James School (Montgomery) Tuscaloosa Academy (Tuscaloosa) | Gulliver Preparatory School (Pinecrest) American Heritage School (Plantation) Berkeley Preparatory School (Tampa) |
Top 3 School Districts | Mountain Brook City Schools Vestavia Hills City Schools Madison City Schools | St. Johns County School District Sarasota County Schools Okaloosa County School District |
How Much Do Alabama to Florida Movers Cost?
Moving 567 miles from Alabama to Florida will typically cost between $2,500 and $5,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $5,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Veteran Moving Group
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,524 | 300 ft3 | $5.08 |
1 Bedroom | $2,263 | 450 ft3 | $5.03 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,735 | 750 ft3 | $4.98 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,423 | 1100 ft3 | $4.93 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,808 | 1600 ft3 | $4.88 |
5+ Bedrooms | $8,694 | 1800 ft3 | $4.83 |
Top Alabama to Florida Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Alabama to Florida movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Sebastian Moving and More
Best moving company overall for Alabama to Florida