City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 4.2% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,200 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $880 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Fayetteville, AR.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −4.0%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much 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
| Fayetteville, AR | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,218 in Savannah | $95,953 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$880/yr.
56 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$880/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Savannah, GA | Real change, Fayetteville → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $63,710 | $61,132 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $123,220 | $118,233 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $79,790 | $76,561 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $86,760 | $83,249 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.