$100k salary, packing up from Savannah
changea dispatch from
des moines
IA
41.59°N
93.62°W
Des Moines is the Iowa State Fair every August (think butter cows, deep-fried everything, and the political circus of every presidential cycle), insurance industry stability, and a downtown that's grown into a genuinely good food and brewery scene. The East Village neighborhood is the cool kid pocket. The whole city is bikeable. Friendly, affordable, and chronically underestimated.
in our guides
the verdict
less monthly outlay than Savannah
The gap is real. Des Moines costs noticeably less than Savannah, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,268/mo
28% cheaper than Savannah(vs $1,770/mo)
6%
$43/mo more in state tax than Savannah
vs 5.49% in Savannah
$6,565/mo
$459 more than Savannah
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$300k
14% cheaper than Savannah
vs $349k in Savannah
737k
vs 425k in Savannah
field notes, weather & such.
151
pleasant days a year, in des moines.
Savannah has the edge here, logging 209 pleasant days a year. Bring a real coat. 55 days stay under 20°, well past Savannah's 0.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.9× more on the calendar than Savannah.
55/100
6% higher than Savannah
vs 52/100 in Savannah
Closest outdoor draw: Rock Creek State Park, 40.2 mi.
78/100
13% lower than Savannah
vs 90/100 in Savannah
17
31% more than Savannah
vs 13 nonstops in Savannah
neighbors of des moines on the map of tradeoffs:
