City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 1.3% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $101,300 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA and $1,513 in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Wilmington, NC.
- 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 Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −1.3%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,277 in Wilmington | $98,739 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Wilmington, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
65 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
73 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 Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Savannah → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $48,240 | $47,632 (−25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $123,730 | $122,170 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $77,920 | $76,937 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $80,970 | $79,949 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.