City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.7% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $112,700 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,444 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Birmingham, AL to Phoenix, AZ ($107,510 → $111,338), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,736 in Phoenix | $88,703 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,444/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,444/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Birmingham → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $64,564 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $78,117 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $93,629 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $111,338 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $131,568 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $59,180 | $52,494 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $131,750 | $116,866 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $80,820 | $71,689 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $100,830 | $89,439 (+13.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.