City comparison
Boston, MA vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.7% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $113,700 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,533 in Savannah, GA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 25% in Savannah, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,567 in GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Savannah, GA ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,937 in Savannah | $113,718 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
100 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Savannah, GA | Real change, Boston → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $63,710 | $72,449 (−26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $123,220 | $140,123 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,790 | $90,735 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $86,760 | $98,661 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.