City comparison
Durham, NC vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 2.5% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $102,500 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Savannah, GA ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,575 in Savannah | $102,485 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
77 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Savannah, GA | Real change, Durham → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $63,710 | $65,293 (+27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $123,220 | $126,282 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,790 | $81,773 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $86,760 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.