Cost of living by state
Weighing a move? Compare any two states side by side — cost of living, taxes, and demographics — and see what a physician, NP, or PA salary is really worth once it's adjusted for local prices. Green means cheaper or better; red means pricier or worse.
Overall cost of living
New York is 21.5% more expensive overall than Alabama.
What a physician's take-home is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Alabama
- Median pay
- $264,580
- After tax
- $179,277
$201,889worth here
New York
- Median pay
- $256,500
- After tax
- $172,388
$159,766worth here
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Alabama | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 88.8 | 107.9 |
| Housing (rent) | 61.8 | 122.2 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 134.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.1 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 5% | 10.90% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 9.43% | 8.53% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.36% | 1.26% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 5,054,253 | 19,872,319 |
| Median household income | $62,027 | $84,578 |
| Median age | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.90% | 54.30% |
| Median home value | $195,100 | $403,000 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024) · U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts · Tax Foundation. Figures are the latest published; cost-of-living is a price-level index, not tax-adjusted take-home pay.
Browse all state profiles
VitalPost shows sourced, public data for context only — it isn't financial or tax advice. Cost-of-living is a price-level index (US average = 100); taxes shown are statewide/averaged and don't capture local income or the specifics of your situation.