City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 4.1% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $104,100 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −3.9%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,091 in Savannah | $96,070 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
56 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Savannah, GA | Real change, Chattanooga → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $63,710 | $61,206 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $123,220 | $118,377 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $79,790 | $76,654 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $86,760 | $83,350 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.