City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 4.6% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $104,600 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 $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $276 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Savannah, GA.
- 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 Savannah, GA to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,636 in Spartanburg | $104,563 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$276/yr.
83 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$276/yr.
55 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 Savannah, GA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Savannah → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $60,990 | $63,773 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $114,460 | $119,683 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $77,080 | $80,597 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $82,360 | $86,118 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.