City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Savannah, GA (95.2) and Syracuse, NY (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Savannah, GA goes as far as $100,600 in Syracuse, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Savannah, GA.
- 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,563 in Syracuse | $99,440 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
67 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
71 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 Savannah, GA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Savannah → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $78,560 | $78,120 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $129,100 | $128,377 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $82,230 | $81,770 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $86,960 | $86,473 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.