City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 9.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $109,500 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,201 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −8.7%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Montgomery, AL | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,534 in Provo | $91,296 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,201/yr.
42 Weak offer
Provo, UT → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,201/yr.
99 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Provo, UT | Real change, Montgomery → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $62,930 | $57,453 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $131,210 | $119,790 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $75,700 | $69,111 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $81,780 | $74,662 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.