City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Atlanta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Atlanta, GA (100.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $99,200 in Atlanta, GA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $568 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.1% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Atlanta, GA ($117,402 → $112,556), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Atlanta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,185 in Atlanta | $100,822 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,660/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 111.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Atlanta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$568/yr.
69 Fair offer
Atlanta, GA → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$568/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Atlanta, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Atlanta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Atlanta, GA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $65,271 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $78,972 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $94,654 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $112,556 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $133,007 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Atlanta, GA | Atlanta pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,570 | $77,199 (+20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $132,960 | $134,052 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $85,820 | $86,525 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $100,490 | $101,316 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.