Atlanta, GA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Atlanta, GA Summary

Cost of living in Atlanta 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 Atlanta 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 Atlanta is 107, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Atlanta is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Atlanta ranks as the #132 cheapest in Georgia out of 154.

  • Atlanta ranks as the #3,867 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Atlanta is $346,600.

  • The median income in Atlanta is $69,164.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
107
Atlanta's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Atlanta, GA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Atlanta has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Georgia, Atlanta has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Georgia's index of 89.

The standard of living in Atlanta ranks as #132 most affordable out of the 154 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Atlanta ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Peach State.

For more reading on life in Atlanta, check out:

132 out of 154
In Georgia
3,867 out of 6,412
In America

Atlanta Cost Of Living Vs. Georgia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Atlanta. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Atlanta is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Atlanta is 106.

  • The Health index in Atlanta is 100.

  • The Housing index in Atlanta is 116.

  • The Transportation index in Atlanta is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Atlanta is 85.

Living Expense Atlanta Georgia National Average
Overall 107 89 100
Services 102 95 100
Groceries 106 96 100
Health 100 98 100
Housing 116 76 100
Transportation 104 90 100
Utilities 85 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Georgia, check out:
Atlanta Cost of Living Vs. GA

Atlanta, GA Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Atlanta is $346,600.

  • The Median Rent in Atlanta is $1,342.

  • The Median Income in Atlanta is $69,164.

  • The Home Value To Income in Atlanta is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Atlanta is 0.23x.

Statistic Atlanta Georgia United States
Median Home Value $346,600 $206,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,342 $1,110 $1,163
Median Income $69,164 $65,030 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.0x 3.2x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Atlanta, GA
$346,600
Median Home Value
$1,342
Median Rent
$69,164
Median Income

Atlanta, GA Costs By Category

Detailed Atlanta Services Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Atlanta Georgia
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $14.15 $10.68
Bowling $17.17 $14.67
Haircut $21.0 $18.62
Beauty Salon $47.13 $39.05

Detailed Atlanta Groceries Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Atlanta Georgia
Ground Beef $4.61 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.3 $1.39
Milk $1.99 $2.05
Potatoes $3.16 $3.29
Pizza $10.06 $10.62
Beer $10.05 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.66 $2.34

Detailed Atlanta Health Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Atlanta Georgia
Optometrist $110.27 $108.57
Doctor $119.8 $116.17
Dentist $105.78 $99.13

Detailed Atlanta Transportation Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Atlanta Georgia
Gasoline $2.23 $2.22
Tire Balancing $52.08 $50.07

Detailed Atlanta Utilities Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Atlanta Georgia
All Electricity $120.82 $167.67
Phone $185.08 $175.64

Atlanta SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
8.5
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Atlanta

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Atlanta. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sandy Springs, GA has a cost of living index of 130, 1.2x Atlanta.

  • Roswell, GA has a cost of living index of 116, 1.1x Atlanta.

  • Smyrna, GA has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Atlanta.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Atlanta
Sandy Springs, GA 106,605 130 1.2x
Roswell, GA 92,688 116 1.1x
Smyrna, GA 55,460 106 1.0x
Dunwoody, GA 51,103 124 1.2x
Mableton, GA 41,632 98 0.9x
East Point, GA 37,895 91 0.9x
Decatur, GA 24,334 124 1.2x
North Druid Hills, GA 18,143 117 1.1x
North Decatur, GA 16,369 109 1.0x
College Park, GA 14,032 93 0.9x

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