City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 8.9% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $108,900 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Corpus Christi, TX ($117,402 → $106,955), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,863 in Corpus Christi | $108,858 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
96 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Ann Arbor → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,023 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,042 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,943 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,955 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,389 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,210 | $65,544 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $123,580 | $134,527 (+6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $75,580 | $82,275 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,690 | $90,015 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.