City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 5.9% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $105,900 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC 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 Greenville, SC to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +5.9%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,465 in Mobile | $105,859 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
87 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
51 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 Greenville, SC to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Mobile, AL | Real change, Greenville → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $60,970 | $64,542 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $122,540 | $129,720 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $72,130 | $76,356 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $79,490 | $84,148 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.