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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Georgia is a genuine bargain: 5 of the 5 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Macon leads at an index of 87 with rent at just $1,207/month — 36% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sou…
#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
Georgia is a genuine bargain: 5 of the 5 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Macon leads at an index of 87 with rent at just $1,207/month — 36% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Macon earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 25 points below the national baseline, and the $50,747 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $167,317 — $300,053 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 67, while Healthcare trails at 90.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
156,512 residents · Georgia
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.
200,884 residents · Georgia
What does daily life actually cost in Augusta? Start with the 30% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. And broadly, on the category level, Housing (index 73) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $53,134 and homes at $173,222 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
147,748 residents · Georgia
A closer look at Savannah: the cost index of 102 breaks down to a Utilities index of 94 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 106 (weakest). Median rent is $1,736/month — 8% below the national median — while household income sits at $56,782, meaning locals spend about 37% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median (that's pre-tax, of course).
128,628 residents · Georgia
Dive into Athens's numbers: cost index 103 (9 points below national average), rent $1,720/month, income $51,655, and a home price of $332,919. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 94, while Housing runs 107. With 128,628 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
510,823 residents · Georgia
The #5 spot goes to Atlanta, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,888/month — saving renters $84 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 119. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Georgia. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Macon ranks #1 in Georgia for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $50,747.
Macon, GA has the lowest healthcare index at 90, compared to the national average of 100.
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 5.49% 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.