City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 4.9% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $104,900 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Atlanta, GA to Cincinnati, OH ($112,556 → $110,865), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,315 in Cincinnati | $104,916 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
84 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
52 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Atlanta → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,290 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,785 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,231 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $110,865 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,009 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $131,490 | $114,300 | $119,919 (−8.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $121,420 | $127,389 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $80,640 | $84,604 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,650 | $87,762 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.