City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 7.3% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $107,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $503 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Savannah, GA ($106,973 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,195 in Savannah | $107,302 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$503/yr.
92 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$503/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Savannah, GA | Real change, Fresno → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $61,722 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $74,678 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $89,508 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $106,437 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $125,776 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $63,710 | $68,362 (−13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $123,220 | $132,218 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,790 | $85,616 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $86,760 | $93,095 (−25.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.