City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 4.6% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $104,600 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, 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 Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,573 in Mobile | $104,632 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/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 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
83 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
55 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 Memphis, TN to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Mobile, AL | Real change, Memphis → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $60,970 | $63,794 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $122,540 | $128,216 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $72,130 | $75,471 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $79,490 | $83,172 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.