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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 5 of 5 cities in Georgia beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Macon stands out at 87 on the index, with rent of $1,207/month and household income of $50,747. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
#1 Ranked: Macon — cost index 87, rent $1,207/mo, income $50,747
5 of 5 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 5 of 5 cities in Georgia beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Macon stands out at 87 on the index, with rent of $1,207/month and household income of $50,747. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
A closer look at Macon: the cost index of 87 breaks down to a Housing index of 67 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 90 (weakest). Median rent is $1,207/month — 36% below the national median — while household income sits at $50,747, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
Bottom line: Macon leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
156,512 residents · Georgia
Here's Macon by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 87. Rent: $1,207/month. Income: $50,747/year. Home price: $167,317. Population: 156,512. The strongest category is Housing at 67; the most expensive is Healthcare at 90. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,256 per year vs. the national median. That kind of value just doesn't show up in expensive metros.
200,884 residents · Georgia
The #2 spot goes to Augusta, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,321/month — worth pausing on — — saving renters $6,888 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 73, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. The 30% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
147,748 residents · Georgia
Dive into Savannah's numbers: cost index 102 (10 points below national average), rent $1,736/month, income $56,782, and a home price of $322,470. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 94, while Healthcare runs 106. With 147,748 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
128,628 residents · Georgia
The #4 spot goes to Athens, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,720/month — saving renters $2,100 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 94, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 107. The 40% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
510,823 residents · Georgia
What does daily life actually cost in Atlanta? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 99) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 119) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $81,938 — for better or worse — and homes at $381,549 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons.
Macon ranks #1 in Georgia for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $50,747.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Macon (ranked #1) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,207/mo, while Atlanta (ranked #5) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,888/mo — a 21-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Macon is $1,207/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $688 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Macon is $167,317, which is 3.3× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Georgia has a 5.39% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.38%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.83%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.