City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 11.9% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $111,900 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.1% moving from Birmingham, AL to Philadelphia, PA ($107,510 → $117,284), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,905 in Philadelphia | $89,362 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,520/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 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Birmingham → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $68,013 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $82,289 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $98,630 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $117,284 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $138,595 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $78,570 | $70,211 (+12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $133,040 | $118,887 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $85,990 | $76,842 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $101,180 | $90,416 (+14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.