CostIndexUSA

Brownsville, TX vs Mobile, AL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
Brownsville
86
overall index
$1,425/mo rent
AL
Mobile
88.1
overall index
$1,250/mo rent

Brownsville is slightly cheaper than Mobile — 2.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Brownsville, you would need $82,000 in Mobile. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+4.2%
Brownsville
57.7
Mobile
60.1
🛒 Groceries+2.8%
Brownsville
93.8
Mobile
96.4
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Brownsville
101.1
Mobile
101.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Brownsville
91.4
Mobile
91.9
Utilities+3.7%
Brownsville
81.2
Mobile
84.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Brownsville to see what you'd need to earn in Mobile to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Mobile, AL
$82,000
$2,000 more needed in Mobile

Formula: salary × (88.1 ÷ 86) = salary × 1.0244. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,425
Housing Index
57.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.7×

Mobile, AL

Median Home Price
$187,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,250
Housing Index
60.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.5×

Mobile has 4.2% higher housing costs compared to Brownsville.

Income & Job Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Household Income
$52,200
Per Capita Income
$29,800
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
183,392
Top Industries
International TradeHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Mobile, AL

Median Household Income
$55,400
Per Capita Income
$31,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
187,041
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingLogisticsMilitaryAerospace

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Brownsville, TX
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Mobile, AL
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.