City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Mobile, AL (88.1) and Wichita, KS (88.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Mobile, AL goes as far as $101,000 in Wichita, KS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $919 a month in Mobile, AL versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Mobile, AL and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,780 in KS.
- 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 Mobile, AL to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by −1.0%, purely from prices.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Mobile, AL | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,963 in Wichita | $99,047 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
66 Fair offer
Wichita, KS → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
72 Strong 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 Mobile, AL to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Wichita, KS | Real change, Mobile → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $58,640 | $58,081 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $105,980 | $104,970 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $79,270 | $78,514 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $76,540 | $75,810 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.