City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 6.5% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $106,500 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Atlanta, GA to Cleveland, OH ($112,556 → $111,138), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,869 in Cleveland | $106,532 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,058/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 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
89 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Atlanta → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $64,448 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $77,977 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $93,461 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $111,138 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $131,331 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $76,470 | $81,465 (+6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $111,310 | $118,581 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $80,000 | $85,226 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $83,940 | $89,423 (−11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.