City comparison
San Antonio, TX vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in San Antonio, TX (94.7) and Savannah, GA (95.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in San Antonio, TX goes as far as $100,500 in Savannah, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,177 in San Antonio, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 18% in San Antonio, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in San Antonio, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from San Antonio, TX to Savannah, GA ($108,001 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (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
| San Antonio, TX | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,517 in Savannah | $99,485 in San Antonio |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,177/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,010 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Antonio | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Antonio, TX → Savannah, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
67 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → San Antonio, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Antonio, TX is in the San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Antonio, TX to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Antonio, TX | Savannah, GA | Real change, San Antonio → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,629 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,776 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,823 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,001 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,624 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Antonio, TX | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in San Antonio dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,720 | $63,710 | $63,382 (+2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $128,430 | $123,220 | $122,586 (−4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,650 | $79,790 | $79,379 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,370 | $86,760 | $86,313 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.