Cost of living in Mobile: rent, homes and salary
For the Mobile, AL metro area, BEA recorded a 2024 RPP of 88.1, with the US at 100; housing stands at 60.1. This puts the cost of living in Mobile 11.9% under the US average.
- Level of prices
- 88.1US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 60.1 for rents, with the US at 100.
Cost of living index for Mobile
A regional price parity compares the cost of the same goods and services in one place with the US average. The US average is set at 100. Mobile belongs to the Mobile, AL metro area, which BEA prices as a whole. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 60.1, or 39.9% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Mobile, AL metro | Alabama | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 88.1 | 88.8 | −11.9% |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 | −3.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 60.1 | 61.8 | −39.9% |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 84.6 | −15.8% |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.7 | −3.3% |
Regional price parities for 2024 by metro area and state come from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parities
Mobile rents
According to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a typical asking rent in Mobile runs $1,258 a month. That index tracks rent on homes listed now, and the figure is +3.5% on a year. The US figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,136, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 27% of the median household income.
| Rent | Mobile | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,258 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.5% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,136 | $1,487 |
| Median income share taken by a year of asking rent | 27% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, based on one-year estimates.
Mobile home prices
In September 2026, Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) valued a typical home in Mobile at $196,696. It measures the value of a home in the middle of the market. Year over year, that figure is −0.4%, compared with $366,157 for the US. That is 3.6 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Mobile | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $196,696 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.4% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +67.9% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 13.0 | 15.8 |
Days on market and the forecast appear with the price chart since 2000: Mobile housing market data.
Salary required to live in Mobile
Two factors shape the salary needed in Mobile to maintain your current purchasing power: your location and your earnings.
- Moving from
- Salary
The method and each city, lined up next to each other: cost of living comparison by city.
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Cost of living in Mobile against other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Usual rent | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile | 88.1 | 60.1 | $1,258 | $196,696 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024), with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities, ranked: compare living costs by city. State-by-state figures: cost of living by state.