City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 10.5% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $110,500 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,533 in Savannah, GA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Savannah, GA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,498 in Savannah | $110,499 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
100 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Savannah, GA | Real change, Boulder → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $63,710 | $70,399 (−12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $123,220 | $136,157 (−17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,790 | $88,167 (−11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $86,760 | $95,869 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.