City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.9% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $102,900 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $369 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Savannah, GA to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,873 in Virginia Beach | $97,208 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$369/yr.
60 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$369/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Savannah, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Savannah, GA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Savannah → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $63,380 | $61,610 (−3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $129,090 | $125,485 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $79,450 | $77,231 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $89,450 | $86,952 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.