City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 8.5% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $108,500 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,276 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Savannah, GA ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,150 in Savannah | $108,518 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,276/yr.
95 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,276/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Savannah, GA | Real change, Phoenix → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $63,710 | $69,137 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $123,220 | $133,716 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $79,790 | $86,587 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $86,760 | $94,151 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.