City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 5.3% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $105,300 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 $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $613 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −5.0%, purely from prices.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (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
| Oklahoma City, OK | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,307 in Savannah | $94,960 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$613/yr.
53 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$613/yr.
85 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Savannah, GA | Real change, Oklahoma City → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $63,710 | $60,499 (+24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $123,220 | $117,010 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $79,790 | $75,769 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $86,760 | $82,388 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.