City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 9.8% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $109,800 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT and $1,533 in Savannah, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $642 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in New Haven, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New Haven, CT to Savannah, GA ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (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
| New Haven, CT | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,055 in Savannah | $109,824 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$642/yr.
99 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → New Haven, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$642/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Savannah, GA | Real change, New Haven → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $63,710 | $69,969 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $123,220 | $135,325 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $79,790 | $87,629 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $86,760 | $95,283 (−8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.