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Cost of living · head to head

Houston, TX is approximately 1% cheaper than Atlanta, GA, using Atlanta, GA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Atlanta, GAoverall index
100.1
Houston, TXoverall index
98.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Atlanta, GA
A salary of $100,000 in Atlanta, GA has approximately the same purchasing power as $98,501 in Houston, TX, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Houston, TX is cheaper than Atlanta, GA, so you’d only need about $98,501 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Atlanta, GA same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$1,500 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

The headline gap is 1%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Houston, TX run 6% lower than in Atlanta, GA (104.5 vs 111.0), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

CategoryAtlanta, GAHouston, TXDifference
Overall100.198.6-1%
Goods100.4100.6+0%
Housing rents111.0104.5-6%
Utilities96.295.3-1%
Other services96.795.6-1%

Houston, TX differs from Atlanta, GA the most in housing rents — about 6% lower in Houston, TX — while the closest is goods.

$50,000 in Atlanta, GA$49,251
$75,000 in Atlanta, GA$73,876
$100,000 in Atlanta, GA$98,501
$150,000 in Atlanta, GA$147,752
$200,000 in Atlanta, GA$197,003

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Houston, TX, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Atlanta, GA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Is Houston, TX cheaper than Atlanta, GA?

Yes — Houston, TX has an overall cost-of-living index of 98.6 versus 100.1 for Atlanta, GA, making it about 1% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Atlanta, GA if you moved to Houston, TX?

About $98,501, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Atlanta, GA has approximately the same purchasing power as $98,501 in Houston, TX. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Houston, TX than in Atlanta, GA?

Housing rents in Houston, TX score 104.5 versus 111.0 in Atlanta, GA — about 6% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Atlanta, GA and Houston, TX?

Overall, Houston, TX is about 1% cheaper than Atlanta, GA (index 98.6 vs 100.1), with housing 6% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.