City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Grand Rapids, MI (95.5) and Savannah, GA (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI goes as far as $99,600 in Savannah, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $568 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +0.4%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,644 in Savannah | $100,357 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$568/yr.
70 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Grand Rapids, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$568/yr.
68 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Savannah, GA | Real change, Grand Rapids → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $63,710 | $63,938 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $123,220 | $123,660 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $79,790 | $80,075 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $86,760 | $87,070 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.