City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.9% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $102,900 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Waco, TX.
- 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 Waco, TX changes real buying power by +2.9%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,210 in Waco | $102,870 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
78 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
60 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 Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Waco, TX | Real change, Savannah → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $59,100 | $60,796 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $123,080 | $126,612 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $76,140 | $78,325 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $92,890 | $95,556 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.