City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 8.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $108,500 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Memphis, TN ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,126 in Memphis | $108,547 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
95 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Atlanta → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $61,510 | $66,768 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $125,580 | $136,314 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $76,960 | $83,538 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $81,500 | $88,466 (−12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.