City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 10.1% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $110,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $709 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Savannah, GA ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,826 in Savannah | $110,100 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$709/yr.
100 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$709/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Savannah, GA | Real change, Minneapolis → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $63,710 | $70,145 (−12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $123,220 | $135,665 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $79,790 | $87,849 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $86,760 | $95,523 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.