Cost comparison
Compare rent, housing, utilities, groceries, salary needs, and move score across the city profiles currently available in LifeAtlas.
Georgia
Alpharetta is a premium Atlanta-area suburb and tech market in Georgia, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Georgia
Athens is the college-town comparison market, where student demand, rent, wages, transportation, and benefits access shape household affordability.
Comparison
Athens has the lower salary-needed estimate, while Athens has the lower starter rent. Differences are shown as Athens minus Alpharetta.
| Metric | Alpharetta | Athens | Difference | Advantage | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,049 | $1,713 | -$336 | Athens | Athens has the lower median rent. |
| Home price | $728,536 | $341,821 | -$386,715 | Athens | Athens has the lower home price. |
| Utilities | $192/mo | $186/mo | -$6/mo | Athens | Athens has the lower utilities. |
| Groceries index | 102 | 101 | -1 | Athens | Athens has the lower groceries index. |
| Salary needed | $80,600 | $58,500 | -$22,100 | Athens | Athens has the lower salary needed. |
| Move score | 72/100 | 81/100 | +9 | Athens | Athens has the higher move score. |