Atlanta guide

How much does it cost to live in Atlanta?

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This article is part of our Moving to Atlanta guide.

Last updated October 18, 2026

A single adult with no kids needs about $55,600 a year before taxes to cover basic costs in Atlanta’s Fulton County, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator. That works out to $26.73 an hour. Rent is the biggest line: a typical one-bedroom in the city of Atlanta lists for about $1,625 a month. A car is the second-biggest cost for most people, and Georgia’s 4.99% flat income tax is lower than many states’.

Living wage, 1 adult$55,599/yrFulton County, MIT, Feb 2026
1-bedroom rent$1,625Atlanta average, Zumper, Oct 2026
State income tax4.99%flat rate, tax year 2026
Sales tax8.9%most of the city, Sept 2026

What does a basic budget for one person look like?

MIT’s Living Wage Calculator adds up what one working adult needs to pay for the basics in a county, with no savings and no extras. Here is its Fulton County budget, last updated February 15, 2026. Most of the city of Atlanta is in Fulton County; the eastern part is in DeKalb County, where MIT’s total is a little lower at $54,233.

ExpensePer yearPer month (approx.)
Housing$19,875$1,656
Transportation$8,253$688
Food$5,176$431
Other (clothing, personal care, household)$4,067$339
Medical$3,098$258
Civic (entertainment, community)$2,583$215
Internet and mobile$1,854$155
Taxes$10,693$891
Total before taxes$55,599$4,633

Treat this as a floor. It does not include saving for emergencies, paying down debt, travel, or the costs of the move itself. For those, see our guide to what it costs to move across the country.

How much is rent in Atlanta?

Zumper’s live Atlanta rent page, updated October 18, 2026, shows these average asking rents in the city:

  • Studio: about $1,452 a month.
  • One bedroom: about $1,625, up 10% from a year earlier.
  • Two bedrooms: about $2,004, down 2% from a year earlier.
  • Three bedrooms: about $2,300.

A common rule is to keep rent at or below 30% of your gross income. At $1,625 a month, that means earning about $65,000 a year. Prices swing a lot by neighborhood, and the suburbs are not always cheaper. Zumper notes rents tend to be lowest in December and highest in April, so timing your lease can help. Our guide to how renting works in Atlanta covers deposits, fees and applications, and our sister site, AtlantaApartmentBuildings.com, lists about 200 metro apartment buildings with details like year built and pet policy.

What taxes will you pay in Atlanta?

  • State income tax: Georgia has a flat 4.99% income tax for tax year 2026, down from 5.19% in 2025. The law that made the cut, H.B. 463, also raised the standard deduction to $15,000 for single filers and $30,000 for married couples filing jointly, and the rate is set to keep falling in steps toward 3.99%. There is no separate city of Atlanta income tax.
  • Sales tax: 8.9% in most of the city (4% state, 3% county, 1.5% city and 0.4% special district). A few ZIP codes with Atlanta addresses have a different rate.
  • Property tax: Renters don’t get a property tax bill, but landlords pay it and build it into rent. New homestead protections signed in 2026 help owners who live in their homes, not renters.

A rough example: on a $60,000 salary, a single filer taking only the standard deduction would owe Georgia about $2,245 ($45,000 taxable times 4.99%). Federal income tax and Social Security and Medicare come on top of that, and your real bill depends on your own deductions.

How much are utilities?

Most of Atlanta buys electricity from Georgia Power. The utility uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month as its typical home customer. In late May 2026, state regulators approved a cut, starting in June, that saves that customer about $4 a month, or roughly $50 a year. Energy is still the fastest-rising cost in the region: the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics found Atlanta-area energy prices up 13.5% in the year to August 2026.

Summer is when bills hurt, because air conditioning runs for months. A one-bedroom apartment uses far less power than a house. Ask a landlord for the unit’s past bills, and check whether water, trash and gas are included in rent or billed separately. MIT budgets $155 a month for internet and a phone plan.

What does it cost to own a car in Atlanta?

Most Atlanta newcomers end up driving, and it adds up. MIT’s budget sets aside $8,253 a year for transportation, the second-largest line after housing.

  • Insurance: Experian puts the average Atlanta car insurance bill at $3,112 a year, compared with $3,034 statewide (October 2026). Insurify’s October 2026 data shows about $270 a month in Atlanta, against $208 for the state and $143 nationally. Rates vary by ZIP code, age and driving record, so get several quotes.
  • Gas: Prices change week to week, so check today’s metro Atlanta average on AAA’s Georgia gas prices page.
  • One-time and yearly costs: New residents should register their car with the county tag office within 30 days of moving and pay Georgia’s one-time title ad valorem tax, based on the car’s value. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett and nine other metro counties require emissions tests for most gas cars, which cost up to $25.

Our guide on whether you need a car in Atlanta walks through when you can skip one.

How much does MARTA cost?

MARTA is far cheaper than a car if your commute fits its train and bus lines. A one-way ride is $2.50 with up to four free transfers within three hours. Passes cost $9 for one day, $23.75 for seven days and $95 for 30 days. Seniors, Medicare recipients and riders with disabilities pay $1 a ride. Since March 2026 you can tap a bank card or phone at the gates. A 30-day pass is about $1,140 a year, a fraction of MIT’s transportation budget. See how public transit works in Atlanta for routes and coverage.

How much do groceries and food cost?

MIT budgets $5,176 a year for one adult’s food in Fulton County, or about $431 a month. That assumes cooking most meals at home. Grocery prices are climbing faster than overall prices here: the Bureau of Labor Statistics found food-at-home costs in the Atlanta area up 4.1% in the year to August 2026, while all prices rose 2.9%. Eating out, delivery and coffee runs will push your number higher.

How does Atlanta compare with other big cities?

Using the same MIT method for one adult with no children, Atlanta sits in the middle of the pack: pricier than Dallas or Chicago, close to Miami, and far cheaper than Manhattan.

County (city)Living wage per hourNeeded per year before taxesHousing per year
New York County (Manhattan)$38.21$79,469$35,525
Fulton County (Atlanta)$26.73$55,599$19,875
DeKalb County (east Atlanta, Decatur)$26.07$54,233$19,340
Miami-Dade County (Miami)$25.98$54,037$22,049
Cook County (Chicago)$25.44$52,909$17,405
Dallas County (Dallas)$23.31$48,489$17,805

Texas and Florida have no state income tax, which narrows their totals. Miami’s housing line is higher than Atlanta’s, but lower taxes bring its total under Fulton’s.

Atlanta ranks 5th of the nine cities in our Big City Moving Index on how easy it is to afford alone: a typical one-bedroom takes about 35% of the income MIT says one adult needs there. The index puts rent, the income you need, minimum wage, taxes and transit for all nine cities side by side.

What do typical jobs pay?

MIT also lists typical Georgia salaries by job type. These are statewide figures, so pay in metro Atlanta may run higher.

  • Computer and math jobs: $106,140.
  • Healthcare practitioners: $104,190.
  • Business and finance: $90,150.
  • Education: $60,460.
  • Office and administrative support: $46,490.
  • Food preparation and serving: $30,550.

Two of those common jobs fall short of the $55,599 Fulton County living wage, which is why many people share apartments at first. For more on hiring and industries, read our Atlanta job market guide, or start with the moving to Atlanta hub.

Frequently asked questions about the cost of living in Atlanta

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Atlanta?

MIT says one adult needs $55,599 a year just to cover basics in Fulton County. To keep a $1,625 one-bedroom at 30% of income, you’d need about $65,000, and more if you want to save.

Is Atlanta cheaper than New York or Chicago?

It is much cheaper than Manhattan, where MIT’s living wage for one adult is $79,469. It is a bit more expensive than Chicago’s Cook County, at $52,909.

Does Atlanta have a city income tax?

No. You pay Georgia’s flat 4.99% state income tax for 2026, after a $15,000 standard deduction for single filers, plus federal taxes.

Can you save money by skipping a car in Atlanta?

Yes, if you live and work near MARTA. A 30-day pass is $95, while car insurance alone averages roughly $260 to $270 a month in Atlanta, depending on the source.

Sources

Go Big City Team
Author: Go Big City Team

More Atlanta questions

Back to the Atlanta guide →
RentingHow does renting an apartment in Atlanta work?Atlanta one-bedrooms average about $1,625 and move-in deals are common. Here's what landlords ask for, what Georgia's Safe at Home Act says about deposits, and how to set up utilities.Updated Oct 22, 2026Moving logisticsHow do you move to Atlanta? A step-by-step checklistAn eight-week Atlanta moving checklist: budget for $1,625 rent, pick an area, set up Georgia Power, water and gas, then get your Georgia license and car registered within 30 days.Updated Oct 22, 2026Getting aroundHow does public transit work in Atlanta?A plain guide to Atlanta public transit in 2026: MARTA trains and buses, the $2.50 fare, tap-to-pay, passes, the airport trip, suburban bus systems and where transit falls short.Updated Oct 21, 2026NeighborhoodsWhat are the best Atlanta neighborhoods for newcomers?Compare ten Atlanta neighborhoods newcomers actually choose, from Midtown and the BeltLine to Decatur and Perimeter, with housing types, MARTA access, dated rent averages, and tips on choosing by commute and schools.Updated Oct 21, 2026

Next step: see the full Moving to Atlanta guide for rent, costs, transit, weather, jobs and neighborhoods in one place.

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