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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Georgia

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Georgia from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 14 metro areas.

96.3
Statewide RPP
#27
of 51 states by cost
88.7
Rents RPP
14
Metro areas

The verdict

Georgia costs less than 53% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 96.3, 3.7% below the national average.

96.3
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#27
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 47%
nationally, among all states
88.7
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $103,850 when earned in Georgia.

Reading the Georgia Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Georgia's statewide Regional Price Parity at 96.3 for the 2024 data year, 3.7% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 88.7. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Georgia captures 14 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA leads on cost at 100.1, while Albany, GA sits at the opposite end at 87.7 — a gap of 12.4 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 98.9, for services 92.8, and for rents 88.7 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Georgia's statewide index has climbed by 2.0 points, meaning the cost gap between this state and cheaper parts of the country has widened. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $103,850 of national buying power when earned inside Georgia, and a household relocating here would need roughly $96,293 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

96.3
Overall
98.9
Goods
92.8
Services
88.7
Rents

Georgia vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

96 Top 53% higher than 47% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Georgia → Cheapest in Georgia →

Metro areas in Georgia, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell 100.1 100.4 96.2 111.0
2 Gainesville 96.8 96.3 89.6 93.5
3 Savannah 95.2 96.3 88.6 86.0
4 Hinesville 93.9 96.3 86.8 79.5
5 Warner Robins 93.8 96.3 88.1 79.2
6 Athens-Clarke County 93.3 96.3 89.3 76.8
7 Augusta-Richmond County 91.9 96.3 89.5 70.6
8 Rome 90.2 96.3 90.7 60.3
9 Dalton 89.8 96.3 88.8 63.3
10 Columbus 89.3 96.3 89.7 61.2
11 Macon-Bibb County 88.5 96.3 89.5 58.9
12 Valdosta 88.3 96.3 87.8 58.8
13 Brunswick-St. Simons 87.7 96.3 87.3 56.3
14 Albany 87.7 96.3 88.3 54.6

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 94.3
2009 91.9
2010 94.6
2011 93.7
2012 95.3
2013 94.9
2014 95.0
2015 94.7
2016 95.0
2017 95.3
2018 94.8
2019 94.4
2020 94.5
2021 95.7
2022 95.7
2023 96.5
2024 96.3

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Georgia? ▼
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 96.3, meaning it is 3.7% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 98.9, services at 92.8, and rents at 88.7.
What salary in Georgia equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $96,293 in Georgia. Conversely, $100K earned in Georgia has the purchasing power of $103,850 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Georgia? ▼
Rents in Georgia are indexed at 88.7, which is 11.3% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in Georgia? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Georgia is Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA with an RPP of 100.1. The most affordable is Albany, GA at 87.7. There are 14 metro areas in Georgia with BEA price data.
Is Georgia getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Georgia's overall cost index changed by +2.0 points (from 94.3 to 96.3). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.