Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Atlanta, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Atlanta, GA: $3,015 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $23,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
148

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

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY 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 New York, NY and in Atlanta, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $3,015 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
Atlanta, GA $3,015

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $4,360 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
Atlanta, GA $4,360

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $5,706 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
Atlanta, GA $5,706

New York, NY costs about 64% more than Atlanta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both New York, NY and Atlanta, GA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 267%, Atlanta, GA by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$30.30 $30.30

-18.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$109 $109

11.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$11.93 $11.93

16.60%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.63 $5.63

17.05%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$2.65 $2.65

44.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.03 $2.03

41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.10 $7.10

9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.91 $7.91

24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.83 $0.83

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.36 $3.36

39.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.63 $3.63

107.71%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$4.81 $4.81

23.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$13.64 $13.64

38.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$14.69 $14.69

18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$19.15 $19.15

-3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.90 $5.90

14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.46 $1.46

43.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.17 $6.17

-1.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.40 $5.40

24.81%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.68 $3.68

10.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.60 $2.60

68.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.17 $2.17

33.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.82 $2.82

-7.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.23 $8.23

127.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$14.87 $14.87

34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.75 $3.75

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$5.16 $5.16

-27.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.48 $2.48

23.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$97.1 $97.1

44.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.60 $3.60

-15.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.45 $1.45

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$24.20 $24.20

72.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.05 $1.05

6.67%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$36.4K $36.4K

-2.72%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.50%

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

$219 $219

$216 $216

1.54%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$69.3 $69.3

5.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$82.7 $82.7

-12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$30.55 $30.55

301.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$15.73 $15.73

330.20%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$17.28 $17.28

32.23%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$1,848 $1,848

80.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$22.3K $22.3K

169.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$52.5 $52.5

43.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$45.51 $45.51

15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$99.0 $99.0

22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$107 $107

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$2,075 $2,075

111.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$1,456 $1,456

114.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$3,354 $3,354

165.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$2,138 $2,138

150.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$3,904 $3,904

397.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$2,616 $2,616

160.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$5,158 $5,158

3.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.54

4.28%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Atlanta, GA

$1.5K 48.3% 53.5% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Atlanta, GA

$455 15.1% 16.5% $90

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Atlanta, GA

$416 13.8% 3% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Atlanta, GA

$368 12.2% 1% $3.5

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Atlanta, GA

$137 4.5% 20.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Atlanta, GA

$65 2.2% 61.3% $103

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Atlanta, GA

$118 3.9% 29.2% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $2,075 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.

Salaries run about 4% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY versus $109 in Atlanta, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $545 vs $455 – making Atlanta, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🕒 Local time

23:58 11:58 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

510,823

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Atlanta, GA 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
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

New York, NY vs Atlanta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $4,522 in Atlanta, GA. 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 20% more in New York, NY, 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 $122 in New York, NY and $109 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 $4,950 in New York, NY and $3,015 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.

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