City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 9.5% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $109,500 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Asheville, NC.
- 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 Asheville, NC to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +9.5%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (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
| Asheville, NC | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,288 in Mobile | $109,544 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
99 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
42 Weak 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 Asheville, NC to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Mobile, AL | Real change, Asheville → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $60,970 | $66,789 (+33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,540 | $134,235 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $72,130 | $79,014 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $79,490 | $87,076 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.