City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.5% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $102,500 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 $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Greensboro, NC.
- 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 Greensboro, NC to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −2.5%, purely from prices.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,521 in Savannah | $97,541 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
61 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
77 Strong 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 Greensboro, NC to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Savannah, GA | Real change, Greensboro → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $63,710 | $62,143 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $123,220 | $120,190 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $79,790 | $77,828 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $86,760 | $84,627 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.