Average Utility Costs in Alabama

Typical monthly utility costs in Alabama are about $235.59/mo, based on 1,000 kWh of electricity and 5,000 gallons of water (plus sewer and trash where available). Compare Alabama cities below to find cheaper vs more expensive areas.

Average Monthly Utility Costs in Alabama

The average utility bill in Alabama is estimated at $235.59 per month, a typical total assembled from median city estimates for electricity, water, sewer, and trash. To reflect a more typical bill across cities (and reduce the impact of outliers), these "average" values use the median of city estimates.

Electric (1,000 kWh)
$138.88
Median city estimate
Water (5,000 gal)
$35.06
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Sewer
$43.50
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Trash
$18.15
Median of non-$0 cities — Some cities show $0 when no municipal rate is published or service varies by address; this is the median of cities with a reported rate.
Typical total (assembled from medians)
$235.59
Alternate view: Median of city totals: $219.68

Assumptions: 1,000 kWh/month and 5,000 gallons/month (where applicable). "Average" values represent the median city estimate; water/sewer/trash medians exclude $0 entries when service or published rates vary by address. Actual bills vary by usage, fees, and provider.

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Utility providers in Alabama

In the cities we cover, electric is provided by Alabama Power (Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Tuscaloosa) and Huntsville Utilities (Huntsville). Alabama Power is investor-owned with seasonal and tiered residential rates; Huntsville Utilities is municipal and TVA-powered. Water, sewer, and trash are set by city or regional providers. Our estimates use each utility's published rate at 1,000 kWh. City pages show sources and last-verified dates.

See which electric, water, sewer, and trash providers serve different areas of Alabama, along with typical residential rate information and sources.

View utility providers in Alabama

These rankings are estimates for comparison at 1,000 kWh. For the full breakdown (electric, water, sewer, trash) by city, use the comparison table below.

Cheapest electric rates in Alabama

Top 5 cities with the lowest estimated electric bill at 1,000 kWh (based on the serving utility/rate basis used on each city page). See the comparison table below for all cities.

Most expensive total utility monthly cost in Alabama

Top 5 cities with the highest estimated total (electric + water + sewer + trash). See the comparison table for all cities. High totals are often driven by sewer/trash fixed fees and local rate structures, not just electric.

Compare all cities

Estimated monthly costs by city, sorted by total (highest first). Same assumed usage (1,000 kWh, 5,000 gal) for comparison; some cities may show $0 when no single published municipal rate is available or service varies by address. 9 cities.

CityCountyElectricWaterSewerTrashTotalView
BirminghamJefferson County$138.88$55.44$66.43$14.54$275.29View Birmingham details →
TuscaloosaTuscaloosa County$138.88$38.93$46.89$10.00$234.70View Tuscaloosa details →
GadsdenEtowah County$138.88$36.54$35.32$20.00$230.74View Gadsden details →
MadisonMadison County$125.29$35.06$49.21$13.50$223.06View Madison details →
AuburnLee County$138.88$24.10$24.70$32.00$219.68View Auburn details →
MobileMobile County$138.88$22.58$56.43$0.00$217.89View Mobile details →
MontgomeryMontgomery County$138.88$59.86$0.00$16.30$215.04View Montgomery details →
HuntsvilleMadison County$125.29$25.50$29.15$21.50$201.44View Huntsville details →
DothanHouston County$99.12$17.67$40.10$20.00$176.89View Dothan details →

Alabama counties

View estimated utility costs by county. Each county page lists cities and a comparison table of monthly estimates.

Compare with nearby states

Compare utility costs in Alabama with neighboring states.

FAQ – Utilities in Alabama

Electric service in Alabama can be provided by investor-owned utilities (such as Alabama Power), municipal utilities (such as Huntsville Utilities), cooperatives, or TVA-served distributors depending on the area. On each city page we show the serving provider (when known), the rate basis used for the estimate, and source links with last-verified dates.
Utility costs vary by city and county due to differences in electric providers and rate structures, plus local water, sewer, and solid-waste fees. Electric is often the largest share of the total bill, and rates can include seasonal pricing, tiers, or fuel/rider adjustments depending on the provider and plan.
We estimate four components: electric (standardized 1,000 kWh monthly usage using the serving provider's published rate or benchmark), water (base + volumetric), sewer (flat, tiered, or capacity/commodity), and trash (monthly fee). Each city page shows assumptions and sources so you can compare cities fairly.
Some cities show $0 when a single published municipal rate isn't available, service varies by address/provider, or the rate schedule hasn't been added yet. In the state 'median' cards, water/sewer/trash medians exclude $0 entries to reduce distortion.
Each city page links to official sources and shows last-verified dates. The Providers page lists utilities and the cities they serve. Use the city search or county links to drill down to a specific area.