City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Green Bay, WI are 5.7% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $105,700 in Green Bay, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $931 a month in Green Bay, WI and $919 in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $816 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Green Bay, WI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Green Bay, WI to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +5.7%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,642 in Mobile | $105,662 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$816/yr.
86 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Green Bay, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$816/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Green Bay, WI to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Mobile, AL | Real change, Green Bay → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $60,970 | $64,422 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $122,540 | $129,478 (+25.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $72,130 | $76,214 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $79,490 | $83,991 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.