City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 6.3% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $106,300 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,936 in VA.
- 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 Mobile, AL to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −5.9%, purely from prices.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Mobile, AL | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,266 in Roanoke | $94,104 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$201/yr.
50 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$201/yr.
88 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 Mobile, AL to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Mobile → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Mobile, AL | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $62,010 | $58,354 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $121,110 | $113,969 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $77,240 | $72,686 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $80,090 | $75,368 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.