City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 7.5% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $107,500 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $805 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Springfield, MO.
- 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 Savannah, GA to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +7.5%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,046 in Springfield | $107,474 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$805/yr.
92 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$805/yr.
47 Fair 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 Savannah, GA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Savannah → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $49,380 | $53,071 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $102,350 | $110,000 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $73,020 | $78,478 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $79,370 | $85,302 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.