City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.7% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $102,700 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Savannah, GA ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,710 in Savannah | $97,362 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
61 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Savannah, GA | Real change, Dayton → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $63,710 | $62,029 (−22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $123,220 | $119,969 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $79,790 | $77,685 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $86,760 | $84,471 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.