City comparison
Madison, WI vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 2.2% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $102,200 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $648 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Madison, WI.
- 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 Madison, WI to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +2.2%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,861 in Savannah | $102,186 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$648/yr.
76 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$648/yr.
62 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 Madison, WI to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Savannah, GA | Real change, Madison → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $63,710 | $65,103 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $123,220 | $125,913 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $79,790 | $81,534 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $86,760 | $88,656 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.