Wilmington, NC vs Savannah, GA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Savannah, GA has a modeled overall cost index 5.1% lower than Wilmington, NC.

Wilmington, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,740 / month
Savannah, GA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,830 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Wilmington, NC and Savannah, GA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Wilmington, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $492/month in Savannah, GA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,090 in Savannah, GA

Regional cost estimates: Wilmington, NC uses Fayetteville, NC. Savannah, GA uses Jacksonville, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 5.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$492

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.9K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Wilmington, NC

Population:123K

Cost Index:

95.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$385K

Savannah, GA

Population:148K

Cost Index:

90.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$390K

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Wilmington, NC

The Tar Heel State

123K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 123K residents.

Savannah, GA

The Peach State

148K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Georgia, this city has a population of 148K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wilmington, NC vs Savannah, GA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Wilmington, NC	Savannah, GA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,347/mo	$1,963/mo	↓ $384less	16.4%
Other	$1,708/mo	$1,603/mo	↓ $104less	6.1%
Healthcare	$627/mo	$573/mo	↓ $53.73less	8.6%
All Utilities	$541/mo	$577/mo	↑ $35.40more	6.5%
Groceries	$1,000/mo	$1,024/mo	↑ $24.18more	2.4%
Transportation	$1,277/mo	$1,268/mo	↓ $9.55less	0.7%

Housing

↓ 16.4%

Wilmington, NC

$2,347

Savannah, GA

$1,963

Difference

$384

less

Other

↓ 6.1%

Wilmington, NC

$1,708

Savannah, GA

$1,603

Difference

$104

less

Healthcare

↓ 8.6%

Wilmington, NC

$627

Savannah, GA

$573

Difference

$53.73

less

All Utilities

↑ 6.5%

Wilmington, NC

$541

Savannah, GA

$577

Difference

$35.40

Groceries

↑ 2.4%

Wilmington, NC

$1,000

Savannah, GA

$1,024

Difference

$24.18

Transportation

↓ 0.7%

Wilmington, NC

$1,277

Savannah, GA

$1,268

Difference

$9.55

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,200

To$1,585

↑ $385

1 Bed

From$1,590

To$1,670

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$1,740

To$1,830

↑ $90.00

3 Bed

From$2,280

To$2,435

↑ $155

Wilmington, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,790/mo

Savannah, GAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,290–$1,940/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Wilmington, NC

$7,008

Monthly in Savannah, GA

$492

Difference

Home Values

Wilmington

Savannah

$385K

Median Value

$390K

↓ -0.3%

YoY Change

↓ -2.2%

↑ +45.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +50.8%

$380K - $499K

Price Range

$138K - $888K

Homes in Savannah are 1% more expensive than Wilmington

Calculate payment - Wilmington Calculate payment - Savannah

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.3K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$111

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.9%

Rate difference

Wilmington, NC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

North Carolina State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,822/month

$105.9K

Savannah, GA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Georgia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,711/month

$104.5K

Additional Tax Information

Wilmington, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Savannah, GA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.3%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Wilmington

Savannah

46 Good

Air Quality

50 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

51.9%

89 Moderate

Climate Risk

97 High

🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Wilmington, NC to Savannah, GA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Savannah, GA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wilmington, NC. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Wilmington to Savannah moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Savannah, GA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wilmington, NC vs Savannah, GA

How do the cost estimates for Wilmington, NC and Savannah, GA compare?

Savannah, GA has a modeled overall cost index 5.1% lower than Wilmington, NC. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Wilmington, NC, the model estimates $144,090 in Savannah, GA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Wilmington, NC and Savannah, GA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,740/month in Wilmington, NC and $1,830/month in Savannah, GA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between North Carolina and Georgia on TaxTakeHome.com