City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alpharetta | Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,767/mo | $1,045/mo | 69.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $562,000 | $242,300 | 131.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $141,402 | $47,798 | 195.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 99.9 | 99.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 97.9 | 97.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.1 | 96.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alpharetta, you'd need $93,243 in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), GA is about 6.8% cheaper overall than Alpharetta, GA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 14% lower in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) than in Alpharetta. If you earn $80,000 in Alpharetta, you'd need about $74,594 in Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance) to keep the same standard of living.