City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 3.6% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $103,600 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $897 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Savannah, GA ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,585 in Savannah | $96,539 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$897/yr.
58 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$897/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Savannah, GA | Real change, Omaha → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $63,710 | $61,505 (−1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $123,220 | $118,955 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $79,790 | $77,029 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $86,760 | $83,757 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.