Cost of living in Albany research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Albany is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Georgia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Albany is 83, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Albany is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Albany ranks as the #7 cheapest in Georgia out of 158.
Albany ranks as the #306 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Albany is $125,761.
The median income in Albany is $45,201.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Albany has an overall cost of living index of 83, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Georgia, Albany has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Georgia's index of 91.
The standard of living in Albany ranks as #7 most affordable out of the 158 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #151 most expensive place in the Peach State.
For more reading on life in Albany, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Albany. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Albany is 98.
The Groceries index in Albany is 95.
The Health index in Albany is 99.
The Housing index in Albany is 60.
The Transportation index in Albany is 93.
The Utilities index in Albany is 92.
| Living Expense | Albany | Georgia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 83 | 91 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 60 | 85 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 86 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Georgia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Albany is $125,761.
The Median Rent in Albany is $898.
The Median Income in Albany is $45,201.
The Home Value To Income in Albany is 2.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Albany is 0.24x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Albany. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Tifton, GA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Albany.
Americus, GA has a cost of living index of 88, 1.1x Albany.
Moultrie, GA has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Albany.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Albany |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tifton, GA | 17,140 | 88 | 1.1x |
| Americus, GA | 15,910 | 88 | 1.1x |
| Moultrie, GA | 14,545 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Cordele, GA | 10,107 | 82 | 1.0x |
| Cairo, GA | 10,067 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Sylvester, GA | 5,557 | 85 | 1.0x |
| Blakely, GA | 5,276 | 90 | 1.1x |
| Camilla, GA | 5,158 | 84 | 1.0x |