Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa, CA and Atlanta, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Atlanta, GA: $2,947 a month against $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Santa Rosa, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

166

Cost of Living Index in Santa Rosa, CA
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Santa Rosa, CA Living Index
143

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

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Santa Rosa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,442

/mo nomad

Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,947

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,442 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $2,947 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $3,442
Atlanta, GA $2,947

A couple spends around $5,030 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $4,321 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $5,030
Atlanta, GA $4,321

A family of three spends $6,617 per month in Santa Rosa, CA vs $5,695 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Santa Rosa, CA $6,617
Atlanta, GA $5,695

Santa Rosa, CA costs about 17% more than Atlanta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Santa Rosa, CA and Atlanta, GA sit above the global median – Santa Rosa, CA by 153%, Atlanta, GA by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.06 $27.06

$31.94 $31.94

-15.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 $90.5

$113 $113

-19.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.64 $5.64

17.02%

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

$3.22 $3.22

$2.89 $2.89

11.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.17 $2.17

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$6.52 $6.52

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$7.95 $7.95

12.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.92 $0.92

48.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.44 $3.44

33.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.74 $3.74

27.01%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$4.76 $4.76

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.62 $22.62

$13.96 $13.96

62.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.52 $14.52

5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.99 $20.99

$19.69 $19.69

6.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$5.81 $5.81

4.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.44 $1.44

73.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$6.08 $6.08

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$5.45 $5.45

25.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.67 $3.67

7.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.57 $2.57

35.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.28 $2.28

34.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.75 $2.75

-28.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$9.12 $9.12

28.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.81 $14.81

-19.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.80 $3.80

-43.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$5.10 $5.10

-59.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.44 $2.44

-37.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 $50.2

$96.4 $96.4

-47.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.48 $3.48

12.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.48 $1.48

31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$23.92 $23.92

23.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$37.0K $37.0K

-25.74%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.72%

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

$196 $196

$219 $219

-10.53%

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

$49.40 $49.40

$70.6 $70.6

-29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$84.9 $84.9

-15.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 $68.2

$30.53 $30.53

123.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 $13.99

$16.12 $16.12

-13.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 $14.27

$16.90 $16.90

-15.56%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$1,808 $1,808

-30.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$22.4K $22.4K

78.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$52.3 $52.3

-3.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.55 $36.55

$44.16 $44.16

-17.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$98.2 $98.2

6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$108 $108

16.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,981 $1,981

17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 $1,893

$1,369 $1,369

38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,569 $3,569

$3,186 $3,186

12.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 $3,100

$2,070 $2,070

49.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,019 $5,019

$3,592 $3,592

39.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,908 $4,908

$2,490 $2,490

97.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,740 $4,740

$5,391 $5,391

-12.08%

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 Santa Rosa, CA: 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

Santa Rosa, CA

$1.9K 55%

Atlanta, GA

$1.4K 46.5% 27.7% $524

Groceries & Markets

Santa Rosa, CA

$507 14.7%

Atlanta, GA

$458 15.5% 9.8% $50

Eating Out

Santa Rosa, CA

$415 12.1%

Atlanta, GA

$428 14.5% 3.3% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Rosa, CA

$317 9.2%

Atlanta, GA

$374 12.7% 18.2% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Rosa, CA

$143 4.2%

Atlanta, GA

$136 4.6% 4.9% $7.1

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Rosa, CA

$97 2.8%

Atlanta, GA

$64 2.2% 33.5% $32

Getting Around

Santa Rosa, CA

$70 2%

Atlanta, GA

$117 4% 67.2% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,336 in Santa Rosa, CA 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 14% higher in Atlanta, GA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $113 in Atlanta, GA. Groceries tell a different story – $507 in Santa Rosa, CA vs $458 in Atlanta, GA – so Atlanta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Rosa, CA

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🕒 Local time

07:10 7:10 AM

10:10 10:10 AM

3 h ahead of Santa Rosa, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

174,972

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

Santa Rosa, CA Atlanta, GA 3,470 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Santa Rosa, CA
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

Santa Rosa, CA vs Atlanta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Rosa, CA is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,164 per month in Santa Rosa, CA 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 $2,336 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Santa Rosa, CA, 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 $91 in Santa Rosa, CA 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 $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA and $2,947 in Atlanta, GA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Atlanta, GA costs $2,947 versus $3,442 in Santa Rosa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.