City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 6.2% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $106,200 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,567 in GA.
- 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 Montgomery, AL to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −5.8%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,160 in Savannah | $94,198 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
51 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
88 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 Montgomery, AL to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Savannah, GA | Real change, Montgomery → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $63,710 | $60,013 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $123,220 | $116,071 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $79,790 | $75,160 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $86,760 | $81,726 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.