City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 3.8% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $103,800 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $387 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Savannah, GA ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.8% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,307 in Savannah | $103,835 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$387/yr.
81 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$387/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Savannah, GA | Real change, Atlantic City → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $63,710 | $66,153 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $123,220 | $127,945 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,790 | $82,850 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $86,760 | $90,087 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.