City comparison
Denver, CO vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 11.1% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $111,100 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,533 in Savannah, GA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 25% in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Savannah, GA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,002 in Savannah | $111,109 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/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 | 28% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
100 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, 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 Denver, CO to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Savannah, GA | Real change, Denver → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $63,710 | $70,787 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $123,220 | $136,908 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,790 | $88,654 (−11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $86,760 | $96,398 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.