City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Augusta, GA are 2.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,500 in Augusta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Augusta, GA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,735 in AL.
- 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 Augusta, GA to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +2.5%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,583 in Montgomery | $102,477 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
76 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Augusta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
61 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 Augusta, GA to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Augusta → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $59,610 | $61,086 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $110,620 | $113,360 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $75,040 | $76,898 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $79,570 | $81,541 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.