Question 1

Is Atlanta or Philadelphia cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $58/month less than in Atlanta, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,820/mo in Atlanta versus $1,810/mo in Philadelphia.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Atlanta vs Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,500/year before tax in Atlanta, GA and $86,000/year in Philadelphia, PA — a difference of about $1,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Atlanta or Philadelphia cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,875/month in Atlanta and $7,840/month in Philadelphia, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Atlanta or Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Philadelphia costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Atlanta65	Philadelphia52
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,439	$4,381
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,875	$7,840
Salary for comfort	$84,500/yr	$86,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,820	$1,810
Median home value	$420,600	$232,400
Median household income	$81,938	$60,698
Unemployment	3.5%	5.0%
Housing score	49	47
Jobs score	81	49
Safety score	26	4
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	68	46
Population	499.3K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	90° / 33°	88° / 27°

Atlanta, GA vs Philadelphia, PA