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Select two U.S. metro areas to compare their Regional Price Parity (RPP) indices for goods, services, and housing, plus salary equivalents.

Atlanta vs Houston

Houston is 1.4% less expensive than Atlanta. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
100.1
Overall RPP
100.4
Goods
96.2
Services
111.0
Rents
Metro B
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Atlanta Houston Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 100.1 98.6 -1.4
Goods 100.4 100.6 +0.2
Services 96.2 95.3 -1.0
Rents/Housing 111.0 104.5 -6.5

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Lower than Atlanta
Atlanta
100.1
Houston
98.6
Goods About the same as Atlanta
Atlanta
100.4
Houston
100.6
Services About the same as Atlanta
Atlanta
96.2
Houston
95.3
Rents/Housing Lower than Atlanta
Atlanta
111.0
Houston
104.5

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

What you would need to earn in Houston to match your purchasing power in Atlanta:

Salary in Atlanta Equivalent in Houston Difference
$50,000 $49,286 $714
$75,000 $73,929 $1,071
$100,000 $98,572 $1,428
$150,000 $147,858 $2,142

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Atlanta Houston
Population 6,176,937 7,274,714
Median Household Income $86,338 $80,458
Data Year 2024 2024
State GA TX

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Atlanta is 1.4 points cheaper than Houston (100.1 vs 98.6).

Services: Atlanta is 1.0 points cheaper than Houston (96.2 vs 95.3).

Rents/Housing: Atlanta is 6.5 points cheaper than Houston (111.0 vs 104.5).

⇆ Reverse comparison Atlanta details → Houston details →

Also Compare Atlanta With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston more expensive than Atlanta? ▼
Houston is 1.4% less expensive than Atlanta. The overall cost index is 98.6 vs 100.1 (national average = 100).
What salary in Houston is equivalent to $100K in Atlanta? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Atlanta has the same purchasing power as $98,572 in Houston, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Atlanta and Houston? ▼
Housing/rents in Atlanta are indexed at 111.0 while Houston is at 104.5 (national average = 100). Atlanta has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Atlanta or Houston? ▼
Houston is larger by population. Atlanta has 6,176,937 residents vs 7,274,714 in Houston.

Explore More Data

Salary Calculator → Cost Rankings → All Metros → Rent Data → Salary Data → Relocation Guide →

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Index where U.S. average = 100