City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 5.7% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $105,700 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,497 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Atlanta, GA to Pittsburgh, PA ($112,556 → $110,047), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,616 in Pittsburgh | $105,690 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,497/yr.
87 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,497/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Atlanta → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $63,815 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,211 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $92,543 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,047 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $130,042 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $76,550 | $80,906 (+5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $124,500 | $131,584 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $76,940 | $81,318 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,370 | $87,057 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.