Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and Atlanta, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Atlanta, GA: $2,947 a month against $3,247 in Rockville, MD, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rockville, MD outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

157

Cost of Living Index in Rockville, MD
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Rockville, MD Living Index
143

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

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Rockville, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,247

/mo nomad

Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,947

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,247 per month in Rockville, MD vs $2,947 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Rockville, MD $3,247
Atlanta, GA $2,947

A couple spends around $4,701 per month in Rockville, MD vs $4,321 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Rockville, MD $4,701
Atlanta, GA $4,321

A family of three spends $6,154 per month in Rockville, MD vs $5,695 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Rockville, MD $6,154
Atlanta, GA $5,695

Rockville, MD costs about 10% more than Atlanta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rockville, MD and Atlanta, GA sit above the global median – Rockville, MD by 139%, Atlanta, GA by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.62 $22.62

$31.94 $31.94

-29.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$113 $113

-33.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$12.15 $12.15

-16.13%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$5.64 $5.64

-5.85%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$2.89 $2.89

-16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.17 $2.17

-18.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 $6.63

$6.52 $6.52

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.47 $7.47

$7.95 $7.95

-6.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.92 $0.92

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.44 $3.44

-13.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-28.88%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$4.76 $4.76

-19.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 $9.75

$13.96 $13.96

-30.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$14.52 $14.52

-35.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$19.69 $19.69

-7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$5.81 $5.81

-18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.44 $1.44

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$6.08 $6.08

-27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.45 $5.45

-28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.67 $3.67

-29.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.57 $2.57

-4.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.28 $2.28

13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.75 $2.75

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 $14.00

$9.12 $9.12

53.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 $14.48

$14.81 $14.81

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.80 $3.80

-36.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.10 $5.10

-26.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.44 $2.44

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$96.4 $96.4

14.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.48 $3.48

45.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.48 $1.48

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.29 $23.29

$23.92 $23.92

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.99 $0.99

8.08%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$37.0K $37.0K

-7.46%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

0.19%

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

$297 $297

$219 $219

35.87%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$70.6 $70.6

-28.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$84.9 $84.9

-28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 $42.82

$30.53 $30.53

40.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 $12.46

$16.12 $16.12

-22.70%

Cinema Ticket

$16.64 $16.64

$16.90 $16.90

-1.54%

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

$1,934 $1,934

$1,808 $1,808

6.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$22.4K $22.4K

23.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.01 $46.01

$52.3 $52.3

-12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 $39.71

$44.16 $44.16

-10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$98.2 $98.2

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$108 $108

22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 $2,213

$1,981 $1,981

11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$1,369 $1,369

30.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,763 $3,763

$3,186 $3,186

18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,061 $3,061

$2,070 $2,070

47.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 $4,172

$3,592 $3,592

16.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,976 $2,976

$2,490 $2,490

19.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,378 $6,378

$5,391 $5,391

18.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.51

-0.77%

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

Last update for Rockville, MD: 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

Rockville, MD

$1.8K 55.2%

Atlanta, GA

$1.4K 46.5% 23.5% $422

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rockville, MD

$409 12.6%

Atlanta, GA

$374 12.7% 8.4% $34

Groceries & Markets

Rockville, MD

$359 11.1%

Atlanta, GA

$458 15.5% 27.4% $98

Eating Out

Rockville, MD

$340 10.5%

Atlanta, GA

$428 14.5% 26% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Rockville, MD

$138 4.3%

Atlanta, GA

$136 4.6% 1.2% $1.7

Getting Around

Rockville, MD

$133 4.1%

Atlanta, GA

$117 4% 12.2% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Rockville, MD

$76 2.3%

Atlanta, GA

$64 2.2% 15.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,213 in Rockville, MD 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.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Rockville, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Rockville, MD versus $113 in Atlanta, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $458 – making Rockville, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rockville, MD

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🕒 Local time

06:08 6:08 AM

Same time as Rockville, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,139

510,823

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Rockville, MD Atlanta, GA 830 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Rockville, MD
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

Rockville, MD vs Atlanta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rockville, MD is pricier by about 10%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,870 per month in Rockville, MD and $4,421 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,981 there versus $2,213 in Rockville, MD.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Rockville, MD – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Rockville, MD 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 $3,247 in Rockville, MD 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.

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