Cost of Living: Mobile, AL vs Houston, TX

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Mobile, AL versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 15% of gross in Mobile, AL versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Mobile, AL tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Mobile, AL
$4,224/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Mobile, AL
15%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Houston, TX
19.13%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Mobile, AL and Houston, TX.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Mobile, AL
  • Lower home prices: Mobile, AL
  • Higher median household income: Houston, TX

Cost of Living Index

Mobile, AL: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)

Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Mobile, AL, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Mobile, AL: $978/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo

Median rent in Houston, TX is $270/mo higher than in Mobile, AL.

Median Home Price

Mobile, AL: $170,300 · Houston, TX: $253,400

Median home price in Houston, TX is $83,100 higher than in Mobile, AL.

Median Household Income

Mobile, AL: $51,090 · Houston, TX: $62,894

Houston, TX has a higher median household income than Mobile, AL by $11,804.

Mobile, AL overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons