City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 3.3% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $103,300 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,276 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Atlanta, GA to Phoenix, AZ ($112,556 → $111,338), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,256 in Phoenix | $96,847 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,276/yr.
59 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,276/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Atlanta → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,564 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $78,117 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,629 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $111,338 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,568 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $59,180 | $57,314 (−25.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $131,750 | $127,595 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $80,820 | $78,271 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $100,830 | $97,650 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.