City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 1.6% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $101,600 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Gainesville, FL to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +1.6%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,421 in Savannah | $101,604 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
74 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
64 Fair 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 Gainesville, FL to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Savannah, GA | Real change, Gainesville → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $63,710 | $64,732 (+14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $123,220 | $125,196 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $79,790 | $81,070 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $86,760 | $88,152 (+7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.