City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 19.4% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $119,400 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Mobile, AL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,742 in Mobile | $119,415 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
32 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Mobile, AL | Real change, Boulder → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $121,810 | $145,459 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $122,540 | $146,331 (−11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $72,130 | $86,134 (−13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $79,490 | $94,923 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.