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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Georgia's value. 5 out of 5 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Macon at index 87, where median rent of $1,207/month saves renters $8,256/year versus the national median.
#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
Dollar for dollar, few states match Georgia's value. 5 out of 5 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Macon at index 87, where median rent of $1,207/month saves renters $8,256/year versus the national median.
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.
The housing sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 94 (the top-10 average here) means housing costs are about 6% below the national median. Macon leads at 67, followed by Augusta (73) and Savannah (106). Note: a low housing index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
156,512 residents · Georgia
What does daily life actually cost in Macon? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 67) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 90) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $50,747 and homes at $167,317 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
200,884 residents · Georgia
A closer look at Augusta: the cost index of 89 breaks down to a Housing index of 73 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Median rent is $1,321/month — 30% below the national median — while household income sits at $53,134, meaning locals spend about 30% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
147,748 residents · Georgia
The #3 spot goes to Savannah, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,736/month — saving renters $1,908 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 94, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 106. The 37% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
128,628 residents · Georgia
A closer look at Athens: the cost index of 103 breaks down to a Utilities index of 94 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 107 (weakest). Median rent is $1,720/month — 9% below the national median — while household income sits at $51,655, meaning locals spend about 40% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
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 and homes at $381,549 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons.
Cities are ranked by their housing 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 housing index at 67, 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.