Is Philadelphia or Savannah cheaper?

Savannah is cheaper on average. A mid-range day in Philadelphia costs about $150 vs $130 in Savannah, so Savannah saves you roughly $20 per day compared to Philadelphia.

How do daily costs in Philadelphia and Savannah compare?

In Philadelphia: budget ~$80–130/day, mid-range ~$150–250/day, luxury ~$300+/day. In Savannah: budget ~$80-140/day, mid-range ~$200-380/day, luxury ~$550+/day.

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Philadelphia vs Savannah

Q: Is Philadelphia or Savannah safer?

Savannah scores higher on our safety index (70/100 vs 68/100). The historic district is generally safe during the day and into the evening, with a heavy tourist-police presence and well-lit main streets.

Q: Which has better weather, Philadelphia or Savannah?

Savannah has the more temperate climate year-round. Savannah has a humid subtropical climate — mild winters, long pollen-heavy springs, and notoriously muggy summers where the heat index regularly crosses 105°F. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with highest risk in August-September. Spring (March-May) and late autumn (October-November) are the clear sweet spots.

Which destination is right for your next trip?

🏆 Philadelphia wins 83 OVR vs 79 · attribute matchup 5–3

Philadelphia

United States

83OVR

Savannah

United States

79OVR

Safety

Affordability

Food

Culture

Nightlife

Walkability

Nature

Connectivity

Transit

Philadelphia Guide →Savannah Guide →

Philadelphia

United States

Savannah

United States

Philadelphia

Safety: 62/100Pop: 1.57MAmerica/New_York

Savannah

Safety: 70/100Pop: 147K (city), 410K (metro)America/New_York

💰 Budget

budget

Philadelphia: $80–130Savannah: $80-140

mid-range

Philadelphia: $150–250Savannah: $200-380

luxury

Philadelphia: $300+Savannah: $550+

🛡️ Safety

Philadelphia62/100Safety Score✓70/100Savannah

Philadelphia

Philadelphia has significant neighborhood variation. The historic district, Rittenhouse Square, and Fishtown are generally safe tourist zones. North Philadelphia and Kensington have serious crime issues — avoid wandering into unfamiliar neighborhoods at night.

Savannah

The historic district is generally safe during the day and into the evening, with a heavy tourist-police presence and well-lit main streets. Savannah has a higher violent-crime rate than Charleston by raw numbers, mostly concentrated in neighborhoods north and west of the historic district that tourists rarely visit. The most common visitor issues are car break-ins, aggressive panhandling near River Street, and overdoing it on to-go cups.

⭐ Ratings

Philadelphia5/5English Friendly5/5Savannah

Philadelphia4/5Walkability✓5/5Savannah

Philadelphia4/5✓Public Transit2/5Savannah

Philadelphia5/5✓Food Scene4/5Savannah

Philadelphia4/5✓Nightlife3/5Savannah

Philadelphia5/5✓Cultural Sites4/5Savannah

Philadelphia3/5Nature Access3/5Savannah

Philadelphia5/5✓WiFi Reliability4/5Savannah

🌤️ Weather

Philadelphia

Four distinct seasons. Humid continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Spring and fall are the sweet spots for walking the historic district.

Spring (Mar–May)10–20°C

Summer (Jun–Aug)28–35°C

Fall (Sep–Nov)10–22°C

Winter (Dec–Feb)0–5°C

Savannah

Savannah has a humid subtropical climate — mild winters, long pollen-heavy springs, and notoriously muggy summers where the heat index regularly crosses 105°F. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, with highest risk in August-September. Spring (March-May) and late autumn (October-November) are the clear sweet spots.

Spring (March - May)12-28°C

Summer (June - August)23-34°C

Autumn (September - November)14-29°C

Winter (December - February)5-17°C

🚇 Getting Around

Philadelphia

Philadelphia has an extensive SEPTA transit network covering the city by subway, trolley, and bus. Center City is very walkable.

Walkability: Very walkable in Center City and Old City; most historic sites within 20 minutes on foot

SEPTA Subway — $2.50/ride

SEPTA Trolley — $2.50/ride

On Foot — Free

Savannah

Savannah's historic district is small, flat, and gorgeously walkable — the entire square grid is about 1 mile by 1.5 miles. The DOT (Downtown Transportation) shuttle runs for free through the historic district, which solves most in-town needs. Rideshare fills the gaps, and a rental car is worth it only if you're doing Tybee Island or the plantations. Bikes are a great option in the flat, shaded squares.

Walkability: The historic district is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the American South — designed in 1733 as a pedestrian grid, flat, deeply shaded by live oaks, with a square to rest in every 2-3 blocks. The main hazards are uneven brick sidewalks and the cobblestones on River Street. Outside the historic district and Starland, the city becomes car-dependent fast.

Walking — Free

DOT Shuttle (Downtown Transportation) — Free

Uber & Lyft — $6-12 within historic district; $20-30 to airport; $30-45 to Tybee

The Verdict

Choose Philadelphia if...

you want America's birthplace — Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal's food hall, the iconic cheesesteak, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Rocky steps — the most historically charged US city after DC

Choose Savannah if...

you want Spanish-moss cobblestones, open-container historic squares, and low-country cuisine in America's most perfectly preserved colonial grid

Philadelphia

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Savannah

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