$90,000 in Des Moines ≈ $89,902 in Birmingham (−0.1% cost of living)
$89,902
Target salary in Birmingham for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices −0.1% vs Des Moines.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Des Moines to Birmingham is housing & rent, which runs about 15.1% less expensive in Birmingham.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for Des Moines → Birmingham.
| Metric | Des Moines | Birmingham | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 91.7 | 91.6 | −0.1% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 93.7 | 96.4 | +2.9% |
| Housing & rent | 84.7 | 71.9 | −15.1% |
| Everyday services | 92.9 | 96.7 | +4.1% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $89,902 COL target | −$98 (−0.1%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$2,808 | ~$4,389 | +$1,581 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $91,581 Tax match | +$1,581 (+1.8%) |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $89,902
- Tax parity target
- $91,581
Gross needed in Birmingham for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in Des Moines, before taxes.
Gross needed in Birmingham to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $87,192 (without accounting for the lower cost of living) .
On $90,000 in Des Moines, you keep about $87,192 after Iowa tax. Matching that take-home under Alabama tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $1,581 more gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $87,192
- IA state tax
- $2,808
- AL state tax on match
- $4,389
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- +$1,581
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $89,902). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Birmingham | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $78,680
Beats target
| +0.1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $44,580
Beats target
| −6.1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,460
Beats target
| −10.3% |
| General and Operations Managers | $123,560
Beats target
| +25.1% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660
Beats target
| −0.8% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $71,450
Beats target
| +6.6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $46,210
Beats target
| −3.3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $64,170
Beats target
| −10.5% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find Registered Nurses jobs in Birmingham
- Registered Nurses
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- General and Operations Managers
- Accountants and Auditors
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Construction Laborers
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Software Developers
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Medical Assistants
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Office Clerks, General
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Human Resources Specialists
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Lawyers
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Electricians
- Financial Managers
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Construction Managers
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Firefighters
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Loan Officers
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Carpenters
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Sales Managers
- Pharmacists
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Physicians, All Other
- Postal Service Mail Carriers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Management Analysts
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Compliance Officers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- Dental Hygienists
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other
- Food Service Managers
- Dental Assistants
- Machinists
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Civil Engineers
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Physical Therapists
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Industrial Engineers
- Project Management Specialists
- Electrical Engineers
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Computer Network Architects
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Cost Estimators
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Mechanical Engineers
- Training and Development Specialists
- Coaches and Scouts
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Public Relations Specialists
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Information Security Analysts
- Marketing Managers
- Industrial Production Managers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Human Resources Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Occupational Therapists
- Graphic Designers
- Logisticians
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Data Scientists
- Medical Records Specialists
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Instructional Coordinators
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Managers, All Other
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Administrative Services Managers
- Physician Assistants
- Facilities Managers
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Chief Executives
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$78,630 in Des Moines → $78,680 in Birmingham (+0.1%)
See current openings for Registered Nurses in Birmingham.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in Birmingham
| In Des Moines | In Birmingham |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $59,935 |
| $90,000 | $89,902 |
| $150,000 | $149,836 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Birmingham to match $90,000 in Des Moines?
- About $89,902, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 91.7 and 91.6 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Birmingham less expensive than Des Moines?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Des Moines to Birmingham is housing & rent, which runs about 15.1% less expensive in Birmingham. Overall cost of living index is 91.7 in Des Moines vs 91.6 in Birmingham (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from Des Moines to Birmingham?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), Registered Nurses is among the highest-employment matches: $78,630 in Des Moines vs $78,680 in Birmingham (+0.1%; about 17,850 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from Des Moines to Birmingham?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $89,902 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $91,581, the gross you’d need in Birmingham to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$87,192) you keep after Iowa tax on $90,000 in Des Moines, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this Des Moines → Birmingham move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Des Moines to Birmingham is housing & rent, which runs about 15.1% less expensive in Birmingham. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.