City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 5.4% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $105,400 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,353 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Lexington, KY.
- 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 Lexington, KY to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +5.4%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (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
| Lexington, KY | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,842 in Mobile | $105,438 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,353/yr.
86 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,353/yr.
53 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 Lexington, KY to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Mobile, AL | Real change, Lexington → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $60,970 | $64,286 (+4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $122,540 | $129,204 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $72,130 | $76,053 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $79,490 | $83,813 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.