City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.4% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $108,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $387 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Savannah, GA to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,376 in Trenton | $92,272 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$387/yr.
45 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$387/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Savannah, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Savannah, GA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Savannah → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $77,850 | $71,834 (+12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $128,770 | $118,818 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $99,550 | $91,857 (+15.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $99,990 | $92,263 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.