City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Savannah, GA (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $99,300 in Savannah, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Savannah, GA ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
- 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
| Buffalo, NY | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,334 in Savannah | $100,670 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
71 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Savannah, GA | Real change, Buffalo → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $63,710 | $64,137 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $123,220 | $124,046 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,790 | $80,325 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $86,760 | $87,341 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.