City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.1% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $102,100 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $276 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Savannah, GA.
- 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 Greenville, SC to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −2.0%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,087 in Savannah | $97,956 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$276/yr.
62 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$276/yr.
75 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 Greenville, SC to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Savannah, GA | Real change, Greenville → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $63,710 | $62,408 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $123,220 | $120,701 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $79,790 | $78,159 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $86,760 | $84,987 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.