City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Augusta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 9.8% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $109,800 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $568 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Augusta, GA ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Augusta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,101 in Augusta | $109,768 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,114/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $45,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Augusta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 70.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$568/yr.
99 Strong offer
Augusta, GA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$568/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Augusta, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Augusta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Augusta, GA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Augusta, GA | Augusta pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $63,000 | $69,154 (+8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $119,780 | $131,480 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,710 | $84,203 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $87,760 | $96,332 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.