Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 12 of 21 categories
Columbus
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Savannah
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6
Median Household Income
$54,748 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $35k less ($168,400 vs $203,300)
Rent averages $178/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,216)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Savannah
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Savannah, GA
Pros
97% less violent crime than Columbus
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Columbus
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 95.6 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$35k less
$168,400 vs $203,300
Savannah
Violent Crime
97% lower
20.3 vs 603.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 95.6 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $203,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,216 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $54,748 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Savannah leads 12 of 21 categories. Columbus wins 9 and Savannah wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Columbus to Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $203,300 median home), income ($54,561 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Savannah, GA are about 218 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.