Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Atlanta, GA and Tacoma, WA

For one person, living costs are similar in Atlanta, GA and in Tacoma, WA: $3,015 and $3,015 a month, rent and utilities included.

148

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
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Atlanta, GA Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Tacoma, WA
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Tacoma, WA Living Index

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Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Atlanta, GA and in Tacoma, WA

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 Tacoma, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,015 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $3,015 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $3,015
Tacoma, WA $3,015

A couple spends around $4,360 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $4,420 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $4,360
Tacoma, WA $4,420

A family of three spends $5,706 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $5,826 in Tacoma, WA, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $5,706
Tacoma, WA $5,826

Atlanta, GA and Tacoma, WA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Atlanta, GA and Tacoma, WA sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 123%, Tacoma, WA by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.30 $30.30

$24.63 $24.63

23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$79.4 $79.4

37.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$12.21 $12.21

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.78 $5.78

-2.60%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$3.12 $3.12

-15.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.61 $2.61

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$6.90 $6.90

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$7.15 $7.15

10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.09 $1.09

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$4.18 $4.18

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$5.97 $5.97

-39.20%

Eggs

$4.81 $4.81

$5.65 $5.65

-14.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 $13.64

$16.02 $16.02

-14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$15.97 $15.97

-8.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$23.20 $23.20

-17.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.16 $5.16

14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.76 $1.76

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.16 $4.16

48.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$4.69 $4.69

15.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.74 $2.74

34.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.96 $2.96

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.75 $1.75

24.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.27 $3.27

-13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$11.92 $11.92

-30.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.45 $18.45

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.77 $1.77

111.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.80 $4.80

7.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.97 $1.97

25.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$62.2 $62.2

56.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.58 $2.58

39.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.64 $1.64

-11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.20 $24.20

$30.52 $30.52

-20.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.39 $1.39

-24.46%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.6K $36.6K

-0.49%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.8K $27.8K

-4.93%

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

$216 $216

$231 $231

-6.71%

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

$69.3 $69.3

$93.0 $93.0

-25.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$85.6 $85.6

-3.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 $30.55

$42.69 $42.69

-28.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 $15.73

$18.68 $18.68

-15.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.28 $17.28

$17.26 $17.26

0.12%

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

$1,848 $1,848

$2,097 $2,097

-11.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-31.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$60.9 $60.9

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.51 $45.51

$45.05 $45.05

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$85.8 $85.8

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$127 $127

-15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$1,722 $1,722

20.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$1,440 $1,440

1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,354 $3,354

$2,789 $2,789

20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$2,387 $2,387

-10.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 $3,904

$4,895 $4,895

-20.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 $2,616

$3,574 $3,574

-26.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,158 $5,158

$4,846 $4,846

6.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.64

-1.51%

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

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tacoma, WA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Atlanta, GA

$1.5K 48.3%

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 47.8% 1.1% $16

Groceries & Markets

Atlanta, GA

$455 15.1%

Tacoma, WA

$489 16.2% 7.4% $34

Eating Out

Atlanta, GA

$416 13.8%

Tacoma, WA

$375 12.4% 9.9% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atlanta, GA

$368 12.2%

Tacoma, WA

$410 13.6% 11.5% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Atlanta, GA

$137 4.5%

Tacoma, WA

$143 4.8% 4.6% $6.4

Getting Around

Atlanta, GA

$118 3.9%

Tacoma, WA

$81 2.7% 31.4% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Atlanta, GA

$65 2.2%

Tacoma, WA

$77 2.6% 18.6% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,075 in Atlanta, GA versus $1,722 in Tacoma, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Atlanta, GA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Atlanta, GA versus $79.0 in Tacoma, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $455 in Atlanta, GA vs $489 in Tacoma, WA – so Atlanta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🕒 Local time

21:03 9:03 PM

18:03 6:03 PM

3 h behind Atlanta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

510,823

219,346

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Atlanta, GA Tacoma, WA 3,500 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Atlanta, GA
Tacoma, WA

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 Tacoma, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,522 per month in Atlanta, GA and $4,522 in Tacoma, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Atlanta, GA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Tacoma, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,848 per month in Atlanta, GA and $2,097 in Tacoma, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,015 in Atlanta, GA and $3,015 in Tacoma, WA. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Atlanta, GA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tacoma, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.