City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Savannah, GA (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $99,700 in Savannah, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Savannah, GA ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,725 in Savannah | $100,276 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
70 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Savannah, GA | Real change, Columbus → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $63,710 | $63,886 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $123,220 | $123,560 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,790 | $80,010 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $86,760 | $87,000 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.