City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 5.0% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $105,000 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Savannah, GA ($107,228 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,201 in Savannah | $105,041 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
85 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Savannah, GA | Real change, Palm Bay → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $63,710 | $66,921 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $123,220 | $129,431 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $79,790 | $83,812 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $86,760 | $91,133 (+12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.