City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 1.2% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $101,200 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +1.2%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,825 in Savannah | $101,189 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
72 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
65 Fair 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 Nashville, TN to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Savannah, GA | Real change, Nashville → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $63,710 | $64,468 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $123,220 | $124,685 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $79,790 | $80,739 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $86,760 | $87,792 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.