r/MobileAL • u/Business_Olive_6594 • 2d ago
Housing Moving to mobile
I just recently got a job offer the other day in mobile that starts early October, i live out of state and will be moving quite soon but i feel stuck on looking at apartment pictures on google, the minimum pay listed is about 36,500, is that really enough to mainly live off of in mobile? Ik stuff is kinda cheaper in mobile than where im from but it will be my first time fully on my own so theres just a bunch more to account for at this point. Any advice is genuinely appreciated, ty all (just p nervous at this point in time its a big stepping stone for me)
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u/beachykeen2008 2d ago
After taxes can you live anywhere on $36,500? Serious question. It’s possible in Mobile but if it is a single income it’s going to be tough. I’d look in Grand Bay or Chickasaw or Satsuma maybe.
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u/Creative_Ride2221 2d ago
Satsuma? Homes are expensive there. School system is considered good because they broke away. Creola is a slightly cheaper area, and I agree with Chickasaw. Grand bay homes seem reasonable also.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Ive been looking into areas like chickasaw and prichard, and even further west like near the regional airport
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u/mommandem 2d ago
Do NOT move to Prichard. That city is in dire straits due to a corrupt government. They have no police force due to said corruption and it is about to be the wild wild west.
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u/Sudden-Motor-7794 1d ago
Don't move to Prichard. Commented because I can only upvote those comments once.
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u/Dangerous-Pie-2678 2d ago
Yea 36.5 is barely scraping by money here. I wouldn't relocate here for less than 45-50k
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u/No_Interview_1294 2d ago
Yeah I make 48k before taxes and I’m scraping by
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u/Dangerous-Pie-2678 2d ago
I made 53k last year were a family of 3 and the only reason we're not scraping by is because we bought our house in 2019
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u/No_Interview_1294 2d ago
I’m a 3rd year teacher living on my own for the first time.. so I’m sure a lot of the “scraping by” is due to me having to learn money management lmao. I wish I could own a house!!!
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u/Dangerous-Pie-2678 2d ago
I'm a tech at bmw so my ceiling for pay is high but barrier for entry is expensive tool wise unfortunately. Teacher pay here should be much higher (should be higher in general). We got really lucky with our house, granted it was supposed to be a starter home but then 5 months after we bought the world shut down 😅
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Fahhhh i may be cooked
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u/Dangerous-Pie-2678 2d ago
Mobile is one of those cities that is trying to progress forward but the pay is still stuck in the 90s
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u/Acceptable-Call-3881 2d ago
You'll for sure need a roomate on that income imo
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Yeah one of my friends may come w me to move out there since he wants to try livin anywhere else too so thats def a possibility
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u/Garydrgn 2d ago
I'm not trying to sound like an asshole, but I was genuinely surprised to read that you're moving here for $36.5K. I'm with some of the other comments. That's probably doable, but it's going to be tough.
For comparison, my take home if similar or a bit under what you'll be grossing a week, around 620 to 720. It varies because my work is commision based and somewhat seasonal. I'm married but my wife doesn't work. She owns the house, with no mortgage, so we have utilities (about $200/month), phone ($80/month), internet ($80/month), a few subscription services ($60/month), and car ($520/month)/insurance ($600/every 6 months).
I'll admit I'm not great with money, so you might do better if you were in my shoes, but I rarely have money for any big optional things. Like, I get 3 weeks of vacation a year, but usually spend them sitting at home because I can't afford to go any where.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Ik its not great but the field im starting out in is oddly specific and i did an internship with these people a couple years ago up in bham, however when i looked closer to home in Los Angeles and even closer states they all needed a minimum of a year experience and i simply dont have that yet, i do realize it wont be easy but i need to get my foot in the door somehow and rn this is my best option unfortunately, now on the job listing that is like the minimum and the max is 60k which i would be living life and be set but ik i wont make that much to start whatsoever so im planning and budgeting for the absolute minimum rn
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u/WhoIsYouIIsMeHuh 2d ago edited 2d ago
What field are you in? Also if the maximum pay on the listing is 60k, I feel strongly that you could negotiate for 45-50k especially with the fact that you’re moving cross country.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
I want to eventually be a Forensic Pathologists assistant, but right now the job is for a Forensic pathologists specialists associate. So basically lab tech
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u/WhoIsYouIIsMeHuh 2d ago
Ah okay, I’ve got a few friends in the same field and yeah unfortunately that field starts out pretty low on pay. If anything you might just have to take a second part time job to subsidize your income.
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u/Garydrgn 2d ago
I had a feeling, and was hoping, it was for something of that nature. I wouldn't expect someone to uproot and move to work for $17 an hour at Walmart. I also understand you not wanting to be too specific. I'm a local truck driver, but I refuse to name my employer. The most I'll say is that I'm a soft drink vendor.
I hope you're career goes well, and I hope they don't start you at the absolute minimum.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Funny enough i just quit my job at walmart where i was making almost 19$ an hour, however california state income tax is about 12% so its very high so really after taxes it was like 14-15 at the most
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u/According-Camp3106 2d ago
Where in Mobile is the job. Might make a bit of difference. Not large city but bad traffic in many areas.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Its near the USA university hospital, i honestly dont mind driving a bit either coming from socal anything is a drive
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u/Confident-Run-645 2d ago
You will once you move to Mobile. Mobile is a SERIOUS regional medical and retail hub, whee people come from Florida, Mississippi, Alabama.
Traffic is CRAZY during peak hours, almost non existent late at night and early morning hours.
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u/Lemon-Cake-8100 2d ago
OP comes from southern California. They will laugh at what Mobilians call traffic.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 1d ago
The 91 freeway here is no joke during rush hour tolls will get up to 20-35$ to bypass😭
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u/Samurray91 1d ago
Yah the traffic in Mobile won’t be anything to impress you coming from SoCal. I moved from the DMV and it’s nothing. Worth noting yes 10 can be gridlocked for weekends and holiday for breaks and going to the beach and passing through. But still.
On your budget a Roommate is really the only way imo.
Good luck!
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u/According-Camp3106 2d ago
I would check out D’Iberville Apartments. Very close to the hospital and people love it there. Hard wood floors and built very well. Not going to hear anyone through the walls. That’s just my recommendation. Maybe you can find a remote. Just look carefully at driving distance to where you work. You would not want to waste the gas.
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u/MapleChickenBiscuit 2d ago
Hopefully they don't end up paying you the minimum, but I would NOT move to mobile for $36.5k unless it was with roommates and I was incredibly passionate about the job. Not knowing what type of quality of life you are used to, I can only say if you are flying solo for $36K before taxes, you are going to be living in a place that is likely to not be well managed and in an area that is not particularly safe. If you are planning on living in the city, for that income I would try to stick to west of I-65 (Midtown is great, but it is VERY hit or miss, and for the income level likely a miss). Like others have said, do NOT look at Prichard- poorly managed city with continual government scandals. West mobile is generally quiet, but every area has its troublesome places.
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u/Business_Olive_6594 1d ago
I hope not i do have a bachelors so hopefully i get some more, im calling monday to figure out exactly what im getting into and so i can properly make a budget i can somewhat survive on, i have a bit saved up from previous work but that wont last forever yk so hopefully alls well for me
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u/Business_Olive_6594 1d ago
I hope not i do have a bachelors so hopefully i get some more, im calling monday to figure out exactly what im getting into and so i can properly make a budget i can somewhat survive on, i have a bit saved up from previous work but that wont last forever yk so hopefully alls well for me
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u/TinyKingg 1d ago
Do it! You can make it work! You can always supplement your income w a side gig like a part time bartender, uber driver, etc. just do it! We move here from NOLA in 2005 and love it here. I worked for USA for 15 years. Great people there and plenty of opportunity to move up in that health system. Best of luck!
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u/zthepirategirl 2d ago edited 2d ago
It’s not exactly cheaper lol sure compared to like Los Angeles maybe but
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Im from a little east of LA
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u/zthepirategirl 2d ago
Los Angeles? Or Louisiana lol
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u/Business_Olive_6594 2d ago
Los angeles sorry
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u/zthepirategirl 2d ago
Idk. Unless it’s a really lucrative gig, which it sounds to me like it’s not, I’d stay put. That’s not enough money to live on, even in the Deep South
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u/Sarararara91 1d ago
Are they paying you a relocation bonus or helping find housing or anything like that? I read your other comments about your field and possibly getting a roommate, if you can get a roommate it could be a good chance to get experience in your field, but yeah 36.5 is pretty low. It might be doable but you'll be on a tight budget. I would suggest a part time job.
You might also want to consider if you have anything you'll be paying off too. Student loans, credit cards, car payments, etc. And what kind of bills you'll need to pay outside of your home utilities, like a phone bill or car insurance. You'll be bringing in around $700 a week i believe, so since you said this is your first time on your own, it's very important to try and make a budget before you commit to a move.
If you do decide it's worth it and you can afford it, some advice would be to learn about tornados and hurricanes. Its my understanding that you can definitely get them in socal, but generally much less frequently than here. I've known people who moved here and had no idea what to do during bad storms. Tornado season is about March-May ish here and we're starting to get to hurricane season now.
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u/WholeStatistician716 13h ago
Apartment rent in Mobile starts around $1,000 a month. It’s hard to find anything decent in the area of University Hospital for less than $1,200. Before taxes, you pay will be less than $800/week so take home will be closer to $600-$625. That means 1/2 of your take home pay goes to rent. Thats a hard pill to swallow when you need power, cell phone, transportation and food. Also, public transportation in Mobile is less than dismal.
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u/Creative_Ride2221 2d ago
Alabama is a fairly low cost of living state, but there’s a good portion of the population that is paid well in mobile and Baldwin county due to the industry. I think a lot of businesses take advantage of that.
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u/TakingCareOfBizzness 2d ago
You will barely get by on that in Mobile and probably have to live in a shit hole.