City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 7.4% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $107,400 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Nashville, 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 Montgomery, AL to Nashville, TN changes real buying power by −6.9%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,422 in Nashville | $93,091 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
47 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
92 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 Montgomery, AL to Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Nashville, TN | Real change, Montgomery → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $61,460 | $57,214 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $126,610 | $117,863 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $78,080 | $72,685 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $84,040 | $78,234 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.