USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

California vs Georgia: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in California or Georgia?

  • Overall, Georgia is 13.0% less expensive than California (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in California works out to about $65,200 in Georgia, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 42.5% less in Georgia. Goods are 6.8% lower and other services 5.1% lower.
  • Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 41.6% lower in Georgia.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $52,952 in Georgia and $63,028 in California (16.0% lower in Georgia; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 87.7 in Albany, GA to 100.1 in Atlanta, GA (Georgia) and from 95.2 in El Centro, CA to 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (California), US = 100.
  • The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Georgia was 15.1% less expensive than California.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Housing drives the gap: 42.5% lower in Georgia than in California

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • California
  • Georgia
All items
110.7 96.3
Goods
106.1 98.9
Housing (rents)
154.3 88.7
Utilities
158.9 92.8
Other services
102.6 97.3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
All items110.796.3
Goods106.198.9
Housing (rents)154.388.7
Utilities158.992.8
Other services102.697.3
CategoryCaliforniaGeorgiaGeorgia vs California
All items110.796.3−13.0%
Goods106.198.9−6.8%
Housing (rents)154.388.7−42.5%
Utilities158.992.8−41.6%
Other services102.697.3−5.1%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $63,028 $52,952 −16.0%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $6.03 $3.86 −36.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in California $75,000 $65,200 −13.0%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Lower Atlantic region average (EIA has no separate Georgia figure).

Cheapest and most expensive places in each state

California

  1. El Centro, CA 95.2
  2. Merced, CA 98.3
  3. Visalia, CA 99.8
  4. Redding, CA 100.7
  5. Bakersfield, CA 100.9
  6. Chico, CA 101.2
  7. Hanford, CA 101.6
  8. Fresno, CA 102.2
  9. Modesto, CA 104.1
  10. Yuba City, CA 104.2
  11. Stockton, CA 105.1
  12. Riverside, CA 106.4
  13. Sacramento, CA 106.7
  14. Santa Rosa, CA 107.8
  15. Vallejo, CA 108.5
  16. San Luis Obispo, CA 108.6
  17. Santa Maria, CA 108.8
  18. Salinas, CA 109.0
  19. Santa Cruz, CA 109.9
  20. San Jose, CA 110.4
  21. Oxnard, CA 110.5
  22. San Diego, CA 111.9
  23. Napa, CA 112.6
  24. Los Angeles, CA 113.6
  25. San Francisco, CA 115.6

Georgia

  1. Albany, GA 87.7
  2. Brunswick, GA 87.7
  3. Valdosta, GA 88.3
  4. Macon, GA 88.5
  5. Columbus, GA 89.3
  6. Dalton, GA 89.8
  7. Rome, GA 90.2
  8. Chattanooga, TN 91.5
  9. Augusta, GA 91.9
  10. Athens, GA 93.3
  11. Warner Robins, GA 93.8
  12. Hinesville, GA 93.9
  13. Savannah, GA 95.2
  14. Gainesville, GA 96.8
  15. Atlanta, GA 100.1

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between California and Georgia has narrowed since 2008: 17.0 points then, 14.4 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • California
  • Georgia
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
2008111.294.3
2009110.791.9
2010109.794.6
2011109.593.7
2012109.795.3
2013109.794.9
2014109.995.0
2015110.794.7
2016110.095.0
2017111.095.3
2018111.994.8
2019111.194.4
2020111.994.5
2021111.995.7
2022112.695.7
2023112.296.5
2024110.796.3

Goods

  • California
  • Georgia
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
2008107.494.4
2009104.795.9
2010103.096.6
2011103.696.8
2012104.197.2
2013104.397.9
2014104.397.2
2015105.597.0
2016104.497.2
2017104.597.2
2018105.597.8
2019106.296.4
2020106.796.4
2021108.196.6
2022108.497.6
2023106.897.7
2024106.198.9

Housing (rents)

  • California
  • Georgia
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
2008161.482.7
2009160.483.2
2010158.081.5
2011157.180.9
2012156.280.5
2013155.779.4
2014157.979.4
2015158.080.5
2016160.181.2
2017162.581.7
2018163.881.8
2019164.681.8
2020166.383.1
2021165.085.4
2022160.187.6
2023157.888.3
2024154.388.7

Utilities

  • California
  • Georgia
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
2008111.491.0
2009112.889.4
2010117.293.1
2011115.397.8
2012117.198.0
2013121.497.7
2014128.396.8
2015129.398.4
2016129.598.1
2017130.799.4
2018125.194.4
2019131.096.8
2020133.596.8
2021144.295.7
2022152.397.5
2023147.392.3
2024158.992.8

Other services

  • California
  • Georgia
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgia
2008101.999.1
2009102.092.5
2010101.798.6
2011101.696.0
2012101.999.6
2013101.898.5
2014101.999.1
2015102.898.0
2016101.998.3
2017103.398.6
2018104.397.4
2019102.497.3
2020101.997.4
2021102.198.8
2022103.996.8
2023104.498.8
2024102.697.3

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $52,952 in Georgia, $63,028 in California

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • California
  • Georgia
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
CaliforniaGeorgiaUnited States
2008$43,788$42,002$45,816
2009$42,377$41,941$44,204
2010$43,503$40,640$44,808
2011$44,844$42,349$45,957
2012$46,162$41,403$46,796
2013$45,826$41,305$46,358
2014$47,472$42,937$47,661
2015$50,054$45,136$49,396
2016$51,802$45,879$49,828
2017$52,569$47,171$51,006
2018$53,523$48,278$52,242
2019$55,931$49,762$53,683
2020$59,993$52,219$56,514
2021$63,373$54,051$59,365
2022$59,126$51,732$57,104
2023$60,100$51,643$58,088
2024$63,028$52,952$59,195

More

Related state comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
  • Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.

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