City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 8.5% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $108,500 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Savannah, GA to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,139 in Tuscaloosa | $108,531 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$168/yr.
95 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$168/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Savannah, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Savannah, GA to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Savannah → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $60,220 | $65,358 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $104,870 | $113,817 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $71,690 | $77,806 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $75,250 | $81,670 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.