City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 8.4% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $108,400 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Mobile, AL ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,279 in Mobile | $108,367 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
95 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Mobile, AL | Real change, Columbus → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,970 | $66,071 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,540 | $132,793 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $72,130 | $78,165 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $79,490 | $86,141 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.