Decatur, GA Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Decatur. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Decatur compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Decatur, Georgia

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:

148 Cost of living index 1.5x higher vs US
#156 Cheapest in Georgia (of 157)
#5,636 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$279,470 Median home value
$1,655 Median rent
$139,397 Median income
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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 148, which is 1.5x 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 95.

The standard of living in Decatur ranks as #156 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Decatur ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Peach State.

For more reading on life in Decatur, check out:

Decatur Cost Of Living Vs. Georgia

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

  • The Services index in Decatur is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Decatur is 103.

  • The Health index in Decatur is 256.

  • The Housing index in Decatur is 100.

  • The Transportation index in Decatur is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Decatur is 104.

Living Expense Decatur Georgia National Average
Overall 148 95 100
Services 100 97 100
Groceries 103 99 100
Health 256 88 100
Housing 100 101 100
Transportation 107 104 100
Utilities 104 101 100

Decatur Cost Of Living Compared To Georgia Averages

Services
Decatur 100
Georgia avg 97
Groceries
Decatur 103
Georgia avg 99
Health
Decatur 256
Georgia avg 88
Housing
Decatur 100
Georgia avg 101
Transportation
Decatur 107
Georgia avg 104
Utilities
Decatur 104
Georgia avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Georgia, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Decatur, GA Housing Cost Breakdown

$279,470Median Home Value
$1,655Median Rent
$139,397Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Decatur is $279,470.

  • The Median Rent in Decatur is $1,655.

  • The Median Income in Decatur is $139,397.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Decatur is 0.14x.

Statistic Decatur Georgia United States
Median Home Value $279,470 $332,063 $332,700
Median Rent $1,655 $1,393 $1,413
Median Income $139,397 $77,353 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.0x 4.3x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.22x 0.21x

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

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

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 129, 0.9x Decatur.

  • Johns Creek, GA has a cost of living index of 132, 0.9x Decatur.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Decatur
Sandy Springs, GA 107,087 135 0.9x
Roswell, GA 92,621 129 0.9x
Johns Creek, GA 81,988 132 0.9x
Dunwoody, GA 51,758 136 0.9x
Duluth, GA 32,426 111 0.8x
Candler-McAfee, GA 20,905 97 0.7x
North Decatur, GA 18,442 120 0.8x
North Druid Hills, GA 17,997 126 0.9x
Clarkston, GA 14,557 98 0.7x
Belvedere Park, GA 14,181 103 0.7x