Kitchen remodel cost in Auburn, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (120 sq ft)
- $17,200 – $29,200
- Per sq ft
- $140 – $233
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $25,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #257
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen remodel in Auburn, AL usually costs $17,200 to $29,200 for 120 sq ft. That works out to about $140 to $233 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,800 less. Carpenters earn a median of $22.89 an hour in the Auburn area, 21% below the US median of $29.12.
Estimate your kitchen remodel cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 120 sq ft in Auburn, AL, standard level
$20,800 to $25,600
About $168 to $205 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 17% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,500 | $20,200 |
| Labor | $3,600 | $4,400 |
| Permits and fees | $700 | $1,050 |
| Total | $20,800 | $25,600 |
Cost breakdown for 120 sq ft in Auburn, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,800 | $18,300 | $22,900 | 79% |
| Labor | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | 17% |
| Permits and fees | $440 | $880 | $1,300 | 4% |
| Total | $17,200 | $23,200 | $29,200 | 100% |
Why Auburn prices look the way they do
Labor is 17% of the midpoint bill here, against 20% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (45%), electricians (15%), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (15%), tile and stone setters (10%), drywall and ceiling tile installers (10%), painters, construction and maintenance (5%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Auburn the blended ratio comes out at 0.80.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Auburn is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $19,000 nationally becomes $18,300 here (midpoint, 120 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 87.9: $440 to $1,300.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Auburn. The wage table below marks each row.
Kitchen remodel: what moves the price in Auburn
Structure
Moving or removing walls can need a structural engineer at $1,900-$3,700+.
Permit
Kitchen remodel permits are $500-$1,500 and are usually based on project value.
Scope
A full kitchen update is $15,000-$50,000, a large remodel $50,000-$70,000+, and a partial refresh $60-$150 per square foot (HomeGuide).
Is Auburn cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Auburn. Dothan is the lowest at about $22,900 (midpoint, 120 sq ft), 85 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, ALthis page | $17,200 – $29,200 | $23,200 | |
| Columbus, GA40 miles | $17,100 – $29,200 | $23,200 | level |
| Montgomery, AL50 miles | $17,200 – $29,300 | $23,300 | level |
| Dothan, AL85 miles | $17,000 – $28,900 | $22,900 | −1% |
| Birmingham, AL100 miles | $17,400 – $29,600 | $23,500 | +1% |
| Albany, GA100 miles | $17,100 – $29,000 | $23,100 | −1% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $17,300 – $29,400 | $23,400 | +1% |
| United States | $18,500 – $31,500 | $25,000 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Auburn ranks #257 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Auburn is 1% below the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $17,400 – $29,600 | $23,500 | +1% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $17,400 – $29,600 | $23,500 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $17,400 – $29,600 | $23,500 | +1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $17,200 – $29,300 | $23,300 | level |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $17,400 – $29,500 | $23,400 | +1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $17,200 – $29,400 | $23,300 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Auburn against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IN | 73,240 jobs | $17,900 – $30,500 | $24,200 | +4% |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | 72,300 jobs | $17,700 – $30,100 | $23,900 | +3% |
| Kahului, HI | 73,750 jobs | $21,500 – $36,600 | $29,100 | +25% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 72,280 jobs | $17,600 – $29,900 | $23,800 | +2% |
What local crews earn in Auburn
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 6 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Auburn the blend is 0.80.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $22.89 an hour, 21% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.02 and $26.50 an hour. About 200 work in the metro. That is 27.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 15%) the local median is $25.89 an hour, which is 15% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $22.29 and $29.93 an hour. BLS counts 230 of them working in the area, 31.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 15% of the weighting: a median of $24.79 an hour, 19% below the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $21.03 and $29.26 an hour. About 200 work in the metro. That is 27.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Auburn metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.54 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.91 and $22.86 an hour.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Auburn metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $23.08 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $20.04 and $24.75 an hour.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 5% of the weighting: a median of $18.69 an hour, 21% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $17.22 and $22.54 an hour. About 40 work in the metro. That is 5.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $280 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $220. That is a swing of roughly 1.0% to 1.2% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Auburn-Opelika has 72,710 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 252nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $20.02 | $22.89 | $26.50 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 15% | $22.29 | $25.89 | $29.93 | $30.38 | 0.85 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 15% | $21.03 | $24.79 | $29.26 | $30.67 | 0.81 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 10% | $17.91 | $21.54 | $22.86 | $26.77 | 0.80 | state |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $20.04 | $23.08 | $24.75 | $28.33 | 0.81 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 5% | $17.22 | $18.69 | $22.54 | $23.75 | 0.79 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.80 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Auburn
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Auburn. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (100 sq ft) to large kitchen (300 sq ft).
Basic
$17,200 to $22,000
Update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout
Standard
$20,800 to $25,600
Full remodel, mid-range finishes, some layout changes
Premium
$24,400 to $29,200
Large or custom remodel, high-end finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (100 sq ft) | $14,400 – $18,500 | $17,500 – $21,500 | $20,500 – $24,600 |
| 10x12 kitchen (120 sq ft) | $17,200 – $22,000 | $20,800 – $25,600 | $24,400 – $29,200 |
| average kitchen (200 sq ft) | $28,400 – $36,200 | $34,200 – $42,000 | $40,100 – $47,900 |
| large kitchen (300 sq ft) | $42,300 – $53,800 | $51,000 – $62,500 | $59,600 – $71,100 |
Related projects, priced for Auburn
Jobs that often go together with kitchen remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Auburn wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, window replacement comes out highest (−8%) and home addition lowest (−15%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,850 – $12,100 | −13% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,100 – $20,400 | −12% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,050 – $13,800 | −8% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $32,400 – $65,800 | −15% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $780 – $2,450 | −14% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $270 – $1,350 | −10% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $20,800 to $25,600 for Auburn, AL is attached.
Take this estimate with you: PDF report, $9
Multi-page report for Auburn, AL: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Kitchen remodel in Auburn: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a kitchen in Auburn?
For 120 sq ft, expect $17,200 to $29,200 in the Auburn area. A standard-spec job lands at $20,800 to $25,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen remodel in Auburn?
About $140 to $233 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $440 to $1,300 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $150 to $250.
+Is kitchen remodel cheaper in Auburn or Columbus?
Columbus is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 120 sq ft there is $23,200, which is 0% less than Auburn ($23,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Auburn?
About 17% at the midpoint, or $4,000 out of $23,200. Materials are 79% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 20%.
+What would average kitchen (200 sq ft) cost in Auburn?
$28,400 to $47,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen remodel need a permit in Auburn?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $440 to $1,300 for fees in the Auburn area (our national range of $500 to $1,500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Auburn expensive for kitchen remodel compared with the rest of Alabama?
Auburn is 1% below the Alabama statewide estimate ($23,400 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Auburn?
The BLS median is $22.89 an hour in the Auburn area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.02 to $26.50.
+What do basic and premium kitchen remodel work cost in Auburn?
For 120 sq ft, basic work runs $17,200 to $22,000 and premium work $24,400 to $29,200. Basic means: update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout. Premium means: large or custom remodel, high-end finishes.
Kitchen remodel near Auburn
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 70% of the low installed price and 85% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that professional labor is 15-30% of a kitchen remodeling budget. Cost to Renovate's mid-range kitchen split (45% labor, 50% materials) sits inside that band.