City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 1.9% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $101,900 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,596 in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Atlanta, GA to Raleigh, NC ($112,556 → $111,147), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,100 in Raleigh | $101,937 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
74 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Atlanta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Atlanta → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,453 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,983 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,468 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $111,147 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,342 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $60,170 | $61,335 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $132,770 | $135,341 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $81,950 | $83,537 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $84,830 | $86,473 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.