City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 5.6% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $105,600 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Montgomery, AL to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,563 in Pittsburgh | $94,730 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
52 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Montgomery, AL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Montgomery, AL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Montgomery → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $76,550 | $72,516 (+21.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $124,500 | $117,939 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $76,940 | $72,885 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $82,370 | $78,029 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.