Decatur, GA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Decatur, GA Summary

Cost of living in Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur is 144, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Decatur is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Decatur ranks as the #156 cheapest in Georgia out of 158.

  • Decatur ranks as the #5,533 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Decatur is $283,917.

  • The median income in Decatur is $140,480.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
144
Decatur's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Decatur, GA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Decatur has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Georgia, Decatur has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Georgia's index of 91.

The standard of living in Decatur ranks as #156 most affordable out of the 158 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Decatur ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Peach State.

For more reading on life in Decatur, check out:

156 out of 158
In Georgia
5,533 out of 6,489
In America

Decatur Cost Of Living Vs. Georgia

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

  • The Services index in Decatur is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Decatur is 99.

  • The Health index in Decatur is 107.

  • The Housing index in Decatur is 249.

  • The Transportation index in Decatur is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Decatur is 79.

Living Expense Decatur Georgia National Average
Overall 144 91 100
Services 102 99 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 107 100 100
Housing 249 85 100
Transportation 100 92 100
Utilities 79 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Georgia, check out:
Decatur Cost of Living Vs. GA

Decatur, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Decatur is $283,917.

  • The Median Rent in Decatur is $1,716.

  • The Median Income in Decatur is $140,480.

  • The Home Value To Income in Decatur is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Decatur is 0.15x.

Statistic Decatur Georgia United States
Median Home Value $283,917 $332,047 $303,400
Median Rent $1,716 $1,306 $1,348
Median Income $140,480 $74,664 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.0x 4.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.21x 0.21x
$283,917
Median Home Value
$1,716
Median Rent
$140,480
Median Income

Decatur, GA Costs By Category

Detailed Decatur Services Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Decatur Georgia
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $15.2 $12.13
Bowling $20.98 $18
Haircut $27.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $56.36 $45.56

Detailed Decatur Groceries Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Decatur Georgia
Ground Beef $5.25 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.57
Milk $4.69 $4.67
Potatoes $5.32 $4.93
Pizza $11.36 $12.09
Beer $10.39 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Decatur Health Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Decatur Georgia
Optometrist $129.73 $125.68
Doctor $128.57 $135.78
Dentist $144.73 $113.29

Detailed Decatur Transportation Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Decatur Georgia
Gasoline $3.2 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.77 $59.92

Detailed Decatur Utilities Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Decatur Georgia
All Electricity $134.81 $193.99
Phone $191.28 $192.25

Decatur SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Decatur

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Decatur. 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 135, 0.9x Decatur.

  • Roswell, GA has a cost of living index of 127, 0.9x Decatur.

  • Johns Creek, GA has a cost of living index of 133, 0.9x Decatur.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Decatur
Sandy Springs, GA 107,198 135 0.9x
Roswell, GA 92,577 127 0.9x
Johns Creek, GA 82,115 133 0.9x
Dunwoody, GA 51,563 134 0.9x
Mableton, GA 42,403 103 0.7x
Duluth, GA 31,958 110 0.8x
Candler-McAfee, GA 21,316 96 0.7x
North Decatur, GA 18,460 116 0.8x
North Druid Hills, GA 18,172 129 0.9x
Clarkston, GA 14,560 94 0.7x

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