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Compare Cost of Living

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

Houston vs Atlanta

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

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

Category Breakdown

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

Visual Comparison

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

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Houston Equivalent in Atlanta Difference
$50,000 $50,724 +$724
$75,000 $76,087 +$1,087
$100,000 $101,449 +$1,449
$150,000 $152,173 +$2,173

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

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

Key Differences

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

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

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

⇆ Reverse comparison Houston details → Atlanta details →

Also Compare Houston 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 Atlanta more expensive than Houston? ▼
Atlanta is 1.4% more expensive than Houston. The overall cost index is 100.1 vs 98.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Atlanta is equivalent to $100K in Houston? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $101,449 in Atlanta, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Houston and Atlanta? ▼
Housing/rents in Houston are indexed at 104.5 while Atlanta is at 111.0 (national average = 100). Atlanta has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Houston or Atlanta? ▼
Houston is larger by population. Houston has 7,274,714 residents vs 6,176,937 in Atlanta.

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