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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: Atlanta: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Atlanta earns above the national median ($81,938 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 108 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 28…
#1 Ranked: Atlanta — cost index 108, rent $1,888/mo, income $81,938
Atlanta: high income, low cost — a rare combo
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
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: Atlanta: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Atlanta earns above the national median ($81,938 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 108 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Atlanta pulls it off. At $81,938 median household income and a 108 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 6% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 5 cities in Georgia using 2026 data.
Here's Atlanta by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,888/month. Income: $81,938/year. Home price: $381,549. Population: 510,823. The strongest category is Utilities at 99; the most expensive is Housing at 119. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $84 per year vs. the national median. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
What's equally notable: The 6 cities we track in Georgia paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 98. Median rent: $1,312/month. Household income: $62,676. Georgia is known for Atlanta's metro pull alongside rural affordability — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
Bottom line: Atlanta 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.
510,823 residents · Georgia
Real talk: Here's Atlanta by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,888/month. Income: $81,938/year. Home price: $381,549. Population: 510,823. The strongest category is Utilities at 99; the most expensive is Housing at 119. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $84 per year vs. the national median. This alone could tip the scales.
147,748 residents · Georgia
The #2 spot goes to Savannah, and the breakdown explains why. And broadly, 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.
200,884 residents · Georgia
Augusta earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 89 cost index sits 23 points below the national baseline, and the $53,134 — for better or worse — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $173,222 — $294,148 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 73, while Healthcare trails at 92.
128,628 residents · Georgia
Athens earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 103 cost index sits 9 points below the national baseline, and the $51,655 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $332,919 — $134,451 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 94, while Housing trails at 107 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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. This is quietly one of the better values out there.
Atlanta ranks #1 in Georgia for this analysis with a cost index of 108 and median income of $81,938.
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.
Atlanta (ranked #1) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,888/mo, while Macon (ranked #5) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,207/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 Atlanta is $1,888/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $7 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Atlanta is $381,549, which is 4.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.