City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 6.2% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $106,200 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, FL and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Ocala, FL.
- 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by −5.8%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,191 in Ocala | $94,170 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Ocala, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
51 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/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 Montgomery, AL to Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Ocala, FL | Real change, Montgomery → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $57,540 | $54,186 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $112,780 | $106,205 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $74,370 | $70,034 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $79,230 | $74,611 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.