City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 3.6% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $103,600 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,497 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Savannah, GA ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,509 in Savannah | $103,617 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,497/yr.
80 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,497/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Savannah, GA | Real change, Harrisburg → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $63,710 | $66,015 (−14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $123,220 | $127,677 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $79,790 | $82,676 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $86,760 | $89,898 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.