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
Alabama is 19.8% cheaper overall than California.
What a physician's take-home is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
California
- Median pay
- $249,620
- After tax
- $163,253
$147,473worth here
Alabama
- Median pay
- $264,580
- After tax
- $179,277
$201,889worth 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 | California | Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 110.7 | 88.8 |
| Housing (rent) | 154.3 | 61.8 |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 84.6 |
| Goods | 106.1 | 96.4 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 96.7 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 13.30% | 5% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 8.80% | 9.43% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.70% | 0.36% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 39,242,785 | 5,054,253 |
| Median household income | $96,334 | $62,027 |
| Median age | 37.6 | 39.3 |
| Homeownership rate | 55.80% | 69.90% |
| Median home value | $695,400 | $195,100 |
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.