City comparison
Madison, WI vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 10.4% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $110,400 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $816 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Madison, WI.
- 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 Madison, WI to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +10.4%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,555 in Mobile | $110,430 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$816/yr.
100 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$816/yr.
39 Weak 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 Madison, WI to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Mobile, AL | Real change, Madison → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $60,970 | $67,329 (+5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $122,540 | $135,321 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $72,130 | $79,653 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $79,490 | $87,781 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.