City comparison
Portland, OR vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 10.7% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $110,700 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,533 in Savannah, GA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 25% in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,353 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Portland, OR to Savannah, GA ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,310 in Savannah | $110,729 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,353/yr.
100 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,353/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Savannah, GA | Real change, Portland → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $63,710 | $70,546 (−14.3%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $123,220 | $136,441 (−12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $79,790 | $88,351 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $86,760 | $96,069 (−26.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.