City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 8.3% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $108,300 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Mobile, AL ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,375 in Mobile | $108,254 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
95 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Mobile, AL | Real change, Cincinnati → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,970 | $66,003 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $122,540 | $132,655 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $72,130 | $78,084 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $79,490 | $86,051 (+2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.