City comparison

Atlanta vs San Francisco Cost of Living

Compare overall indexes, housing costs, and budget targets between Atlanta (110.5) and San Francisco (177.2).

Atlanta Index
110.5
San Francisco Index
177.2
Atlanta Rent
$2,375
San Francisco Rent
$5,250
Atlanta Home price
$410,000
San Francisco Home price
$935,000

Salary equivalent calculator

Enter your current salary in Atlanta to estimate the income needed for a similar lifestyle in San Francisco.

Equivalent salary in San Francisco
$141,119
Based on the relative overall cost of living between Atlanta and San Francisco.

Category-by-category differences

Use this table to see which categories make one city more or less expensive than the other.

CategoryAtlantaSan FranciscoDifference
Housing129276+147.0 (+114.0%)
Groceries101137+36.0 (+35.6%)
Transportation103125+22.0 (+21.4%)
Healthcare97114+17.0 (+17.5%)
Utilities100112+12.0 (+12.0%)
Miscellaneous102132+30.0 (+29.4%)

Budget comparison

Single
$4,990 / $8,510
Atlanta / San Francisco
Couple
$8,280 / $14,470
Atlanta / San Francisco
Family
$11,680 / $21,280
Atlanta / San Francisco

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: Q1 2026

Data as of Q1 2026. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Cost of living indexes use the national average as baseline (100). Data is updated periodically.