City comparison
Beaumont, TX vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Beaumont, TX are 2.2% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $102,200 in Beaumont, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $898 a month in Beaumont, TX and $919 in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Beaumont, TX.
- 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 Beaumont, TX to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +2.2%, purely from prices.
- Beaumont, TX: price level 90.0 (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
| Beaumont, TX | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,837 in Mobile | $102,211 in Beaumont |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,630 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Beaumont | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.9 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 83.1 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Beaumont, TX → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
76 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Beaumont, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
62 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 Beaumont, TX to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Beaumont, TX | Mobile, AL | Real change, Beaumont → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Beaumont, TX | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Beaumont dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,260 | $60,970 | $62,318 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,470 | $122,540 | $125,250 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $72,130 | $73,725 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,180 | $79,490 | $81,248 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.