Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlanta, GA and Herndon, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Atlanta, GA: $2,947 a month against $3,296 in Herndon, VA, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Herndon, VA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

143

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
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Atlanta, GA Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Herndon, VA
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Herndon, VA Living Index

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Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,947

/mo nomad

Herndon, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,296

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Atlanta, GA and in Herndon, VA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Atlanta, GA and in Herndon, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,947 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $3,296 in Herndon, VA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $2,947
Herndon, VA $3,296

A couple spends around $4,321 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $4,928 in Herndon, VA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $4,321
Herndon, VA $4,928

A family of three spends $5,695 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $6,559 in Herndon, VA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $5,695
Herndon, VA $6,559

Atlanta, GA is about 11% cheaper than Herndon, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Atlanta, GA and Herndon, VA sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 117%, Herndon, VA by 142%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.94 $31.94

$24.06 $24.06

32.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 $113

$98.7 $98.7

14.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$11.06 $11.06

9.86%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.78 $5.78

-2.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.01 $3.01

-3.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.51 $2.51

-13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 $6.52

$7.85 $7.85

-16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.92 $8.92

-10.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.21 $1.21

-23.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.18 $4.18

-17.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$5.30 $5.30

-29.43%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.17 $5.17

-7.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$16.93 $16.93

-17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$15.90 $15.90

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.69 $19.69

$18.78 $18.78

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.65 $5.65

2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.89 $1.89

-23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$4.74 $4.74

28.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$5.65 $5.65

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.79 $2.79

31.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.84 $3.84

-33.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.38 $2.38

-4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.58 $2.58

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.12 $9.12

$9.62 $9.62

-5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$16.30 $16.30

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.74 $2.74

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.79 $2.79

82.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.46 $2.46

-0.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.4 $96.4

$30.55 $30.55

215.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.02 $4.02

-13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.26 $1.26

17.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.92 $23.92

$25.39 $25.39

-5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 $1.06

-6.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.0K $37.0K

$32.5K $32.5K

14.00%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 $219

$164 $164

33.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$82.4 $82.4

-14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.9 $84.9

$69.9 $69.9

21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.53 $30.53

$55.6 $55.6

-45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 $16.12

$10.08 $10.08

59.92%

Cinema Ticket

$16.90 $16.90

$16.38 $16.38

3.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,808 $1,808

$1,888 $1,888

-4.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$36.4K $36.4K

-38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$65.4 $65.4

-20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 $44.16

$43.45 $43.45

1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 $98.2

$106 $106

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$125 $125

-12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$2,135 $2,135

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$1,836 $1,836

-25.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,186 $3,186

$3,370 $3,370

-5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 $2,070

$3,179 $3,179

-34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,592 $3,592

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,391 $5,391

$5,520 $5,520

-2.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.63

-1.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Herndon, VA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Atlanta, GA

$1.4K 46.5%

Herndon, VA

$1.8K 55.7% 34.1% $467

Groceries & Markets

Atlanta, GA

$458 15.5%

Herndon, VA

$478 14.5% 4.4% $20

Eating Out

Atlanta, GA

$428 14.5%

Herndon, VA

$374 11.4% 12.6% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atlanta, GA

$374 12.7%

Herndon, VA

$316 9.6% 15.6% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Atlanta, GA

$136 4.6%

Herndon, VA

$153 4.6% 12.1% $17

Getting Around

Atlanta, GA

$117 4%

Herndon, VA

$51 1.5% 56.7% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Atlanta, GA

$64 2.2%

Herndon, VA

$88 2.7% 37.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,981 in Atlanta, GA versus $2,135 in Herndon, VA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $113 in Atlanta, GA versus $99 in Herndon, VA. Groceries tell a different story – $458 in Atlanta, GA vs $478 in Herndon, VA – so Atlanta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 Herndon, VA

🕒 Local time

16:49 4:49 PM

Same time as Atlanta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

510,823

24,655

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Atlanta, GA Herndon, VA 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Atlanta, GA
Herndon, VA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Atlanta, GA vs Herndon, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Herndon, VA is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,421 per month in Atlanta, GA and $4,944 in Herndon, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,981 in Atlanta, GA and $2,135 in Herndon, VA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Herndon, VA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $113 in Atlanta, GA and $99 in Herndon, VA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,947 in Atlanta, GA and $3,296 in Herndon, VA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Atlanta, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.