City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Corpus Christi, TX are 3.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $103,300 in Corpus Christi, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Montgomery, AL ($106,955 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,775 in Montgomery | $103,333 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $870/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 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
79 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Corpus Christi → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $59,610 | $61,597 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $110,620 | $114,307 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $75,040 | $77,541 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $79,570 | $82,222 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.