Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

157

Cost of Living Index in Herndon, VA
Learn more

Herndon, VA Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
Learn more

Atlanta, GA Living Index

Jump to prices

Herndon, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,296

/mo nomad

Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,947

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Herndon, VA costs about 12% more than Atlanta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.06 $24.06

$31.94 $31.94

-24.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$113 $113

-12.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$12.15 $12.15

-8.97%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.64 $5.64

2.48%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$2.89 $2.89

4.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.17 $2.17

15.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$6.52 $6.52

20.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$7.95 $7.95

12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.92 $0.92

31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.44 $3.44

21.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.74 $3.74

41.71%

Eggs

$5.17 $5.17

$4.76 $4.76

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.93 $16.93

$13.96 $13.96

21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$14.52 $14.52

9.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$19.69 $19.69

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.81 $5.81

-2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.44 $1.44

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$6.08 $6.08

-22.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.45 $5.45

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.67 $3.67

-23.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.57 $2.57

49.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.28 $2.28

4.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.75 $2.75

-6.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 $9.62

$9.12 $9.12

5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.30 $16.30

$14.81 $14.81

10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.80 $3.80

-27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$5.10 $5.10

-45.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.44 $2.44

0.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.55 $30.55

$96.4 $96.4

-68.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.48 $3.48

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.48 $1.48

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 $25.39

$23.92 $23.92

6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.99 $0.99

7.07%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$37.0K $37.0K

-12.28%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.53%

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

$164 $164

$219 $219

-25.19%

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

$82.4 $82.4

$70.6 $70.6

16.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$84.9 $84.9

-17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 $55.6

$30.53 $30.53

82.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 $10.08

$16.12 $16.12

-37.47%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 $16.38

$16.90 $16.90

-3.08%

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

$1,888 $1,888

$1,808 $1,808

4.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.4K $36.4K

$22.4K $22.4K

62.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$52.3 $52.3

25.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 $43.45

$44.16 $44.16

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$98.2 $98.2

8.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$108 $108

14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,135 $2,135

$1,981 $1,981

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$1,369 $1,369

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,370 $3,370

$3,186 $3,186

5.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,179 $3,179

$2,070 $2,070

53.56%

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)

$5,520 $5,520

$5,391 $5,391

2.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.51

1.84%

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

Last update for Herndon, VA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Herndon, VA

$1.8K 55.7%

Atlanta, GA

$1.4K 46.5% 25.4% $467

Groceries & Markets

Herndon, VA

$478 14.5%

Atlanta, GA

$458 15.5% 4.2% $20

Eating Out

Herndon, VA

$374 11.4%

Atlanta, GA

$428 14.5% 14.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Herndon, VA

$316 9.6%

Atlanta, GA

$374 12.7% 18.4% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Herndon, VA

$153 4.6%

Atlanta, GA

$136 4.6% 10.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Herndon, VA

$88 2.7%

Atlanta, GA

$64 2.2% 27.2% $24

Getting Around

Herndon, VA

$51 1.5%

Atlanta, GA

$117 4% 131% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,135 in Herndon, VA versus $1,981 in Atlanta, GA. 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 $99 in Herndon, VA versus $113 in Atlanta, GA. Groceries tell a different story – $478 in Herndon, VA vs $458 in Atlanta, GA – so Atlanta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Herndon, VA

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🕒 Local time

14:06 2:06 PM

Same time as Herndon, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,655

510,823

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Herndon, VA
Atlanta, GA

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

Herndon, VA vs Atlanta, GA: 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 $4,944 per month in Herndon, VA and $4,421 in Atlanta, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,135 in Herndon, VA and $1,981 in Atlanta, GA. 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 it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Herndon, VA and $113 in Atlanta, GA. 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 $3,296 in Herndon, VA and $2,947 in Atlanta, GA. 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.