City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Augusta, GA are 4.3% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $104,300 in Augusta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Augusta, GA and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,735 in AL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +4.3%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,860 in Mobile | $104,319 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
82 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Augusta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Mobile, AL | Real change, Augusta → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $60,970 | $63,603 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $122,540 | $127,833 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $72,130 | $75,245 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $79,490 | $82,923 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.