City comparison
Salem, OR vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 8.9% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $108,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,353 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Savannah, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Salem, OR to Savannah, GA ($114,684 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (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
| Salem, OR | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,854 in Savannah | $108,868 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,353/yr.
96 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,353/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Savannah, GA | Real change, Salem → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $63,710 | $69,360 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $123,220 | $134,147 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $79,790 | $86,866 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $86,760 | $94,454 (−28.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.