Overall
95.2
-4.8 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Savannah, GA
Cost-of-living indicators for Savannah, GA, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 42340 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #163 of 387
Savannah, GA has a cost of living index of 95.2, meaning it's 4.8% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.7% less, services 11.4% less, and rents are 14.0% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $105,035 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Savannah
Savannah ranks #163 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 95.2, Savannah, GA is 4.8% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Savannah's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 86.0 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $105,035 inside Savannah, while a household needs roughly $95,206 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 86.0 — 14.0% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Savannah's overall index has stayed within 0.6 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.3 and services at 88.6, meaning everyday spending in Savannah is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Savannah Cost Index at a Glance
Savannah all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Savannah category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.3
-3.7 below avg
Services
88.6
-11.4 below avg
Rents
86.0
-14.0 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 95.2 (-4.8 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.3 (-3.7 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 88.6 (-11.4 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 86.0 (-14.0 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Rents -14.0% (86.0)
Services -11.4% (88.6)
Overall -4.8% (95.2)
Goods -3.7% (96.3)
Income Adequacy in Savannah
Savannah income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 95.2
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$95,206
in Savannah, GA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$47,603
$75,000 nationally
$71,405
$125,000 nationally
$119,008
$150,000 nationally
$142,809
$200,000 nationally
$190,412
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 0.6 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.8 |
| 2009 | 94.9 |
| 2010 | 96.3 |
| 2011 | 97.9 |
| 2012 | 97.9 |
| 2013 | 96.3 |
| 2014 | 96.5 |
| 2015 | 96.1 |
| 2016 | 97.1 |
| 2017 | 96.3 |
| 2018 | 95.1 |
| 2019 | 94.1 |
| 2020 | 92.4 |
| 2021 | 95.4 |
| 2022 | 96.1 |
| 2023 | 95.9 |
| 2024 | 95.2 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Savannah, GA's index of 95.2.
Other GA Metros
Related Data for Savannah
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Savannah area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Savannah metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Savannah
School Districts
NCES school data for Savannah area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Savannah area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Savannah, GA? ▼
Savannah, GA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 95.2, meaning it is 4.8% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 88.6, and rents at 86.0. It ranks #163 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Savannah, GA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $95,206 in Savannah, GA. Conversely, $100K earned in Savannah, GA has the purchasing power of $105,035 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Savannah, GA? ▼
Rents in Savannah, GA are indexed at 86.0, which is 14.0% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Savannah, GA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Savannah, GA's overall cost index changed by -0.6 points (from 95.8 to 95.2). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Savannah, GA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Ocala, El Centro, Pittsfield. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Savannah, GA's 95.2.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
