City comparison
Albany, NY vs Augusta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 8.3% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $108,300 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Augusta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Augusta, GA ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Augusta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,304 in Augusta | $108,338 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,114/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $45,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Augusta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 70.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.5 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
95 Strong offer
Augusta, GA → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Augusta, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Augusta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Augusta, GA | Real change, Albany → Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Augusta, GA | Augusta pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $63,000 | $68,253 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $119,780 | $129,767 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $76,710 | $83,106 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $87,760 | $95,078 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.