City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Savannah, GA (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $99,800 in Savannah, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Savannah, GA ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,828 in Savannah | $100,172 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
69 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Savannah, GA | Real change, Cincinnati → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $63,710 | $63,820 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $123,220 | $123,432 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,790 | $79,927 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $86,760 | $86,909 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.