City comparison
Provo, UT vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 3.2% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $103,200 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,033 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +3.2%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,920 in Savannah | $103,178 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,033/yr.
79 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,033/yr.
59 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 Provo, UT to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Savannah, GA | Real change, Provo → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $63,710 | $65,735 (+4.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $123,220 | $127,136 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $79,790 | $82,326 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $86,760 | $89,518 (+9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.