City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 19.7% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $119,700 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Mobile, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Mobile, AL to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +19.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Mobile, AL | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,663 in Portland | $83,568 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Mobile, AL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Mobile, AL to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Portland, OR | Real change, Mobile → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $121,810 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $156,000 | $130,366 (+6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $92,200 | $77,050 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $130,310 | $108,897 (+37.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.