City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 6.2% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $106,200 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Savannah, GA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,144 in Savannah | $106,220 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
88 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Savannah, GA | Real change, Fort Collins → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $63,710 | $67,673 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $123,220 | $130,885 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $79,790 | $84,753 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $86,760 | $92,157 (−5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.