City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.7% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $102,700 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Utica, NY 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by +2.7%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,345 in Utica | $102,728 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
77 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
60 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 Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Utica, NY | Real change, Savannah → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $77,010 | $79,111 (+24.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $113,390 | $116,483 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $79,830 | $82,008 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $94,300 | $96,872 (+11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.