City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 2.2% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $102,200 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Savannah, GA ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,800 in Savannah | $102,250 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
76 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Savannah, GA | Real change, Charlotte → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $63,710 | $65,143 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $123,220 | $125,992 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,790 | $81,585 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $86,760 | $88,712 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.