City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 3.8% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $103,800 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Chattanooga, TN.
- 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 Chattanooga, TN to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +3.8%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,320 in Mobile | $103,821 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
81 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
57 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 Chattanooga, TN to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Mobile, AL | Real change, Chattanooga → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $60,970 | $63,300 (+5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $122,540 | $127,222 (+19.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $72,130 | $74,886 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $79,490 | $82,527 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.