City comparison
Austin, TX vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 9.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $109,300 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Montgomery, AL ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- 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
| Austin, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,451 in Montgomery | $109,349 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
98 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Austin → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $59,610 | $65,183 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $110,620 | $120,961 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $75,040 | $82,055 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $79,570 | $87,009 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.