City comparison
Savannah, GA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 3.4% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $103,400 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 $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Winston, NC.
- 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by +3.4%, purely from prices.
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Savannah, GA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,678 in Winston | $103,436 in Savannah |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,533/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,240 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Savannah, GA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Savannah, GA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Savannah | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Savannah, GA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
79 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
58 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 Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Savannah, GA | Winston, NC | Real change, Savannah → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Savannah, GA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Savannah dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,710 | $56,510 | $58,452 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,220 | $124,130 | $128,396 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $78,950 | $81,663 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,760 | $86,120 | $89,079 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.