City comparison
McAllen, TX vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Montgomery, AL are 4.4% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $104,400 in Montgomery, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $847 a month in McAllen, TX and $870 in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in McAllen, TX.
- 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 McAllen, TX to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by −4.2%, purely from prices.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| McAllen, TX | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,409 in Montgomery | $95,777 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → Montgomery, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
56 Fair offer
Montgomery, AL → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
83 Strong 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 McAllen, TX to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | Montgomery, AL | Real change, McAllen → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $59,610 | $57,093 (−9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $110,620 | $105,949 (−8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $75,040 | $71,871 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $79,570 | $76,210 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.