City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.3% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $103,300 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Birmingham, AL to Pittsburgh, PA ($107,510 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,303 in Pittsburgh | $96,803 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
59 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Birmingham → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $63,815 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $77,211 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $92,543 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $110,047 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $130,042 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $76,550 | $74,102 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $124,500 | $120,519 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $76,940 | $74,480 (−5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $82,370 | $79,736 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.