Atlanta vs Charlotte
Atlanta, GA · Charlotte, NC
Charlotte is 8% cheaper than Atlanta overall.
Home Price
Atlanta: $385,000
Charlotte: $365,000
Monthly Rent
Atlanta: $1,576/mo
Charlotte: $1,595/mo
COL Index
Atlanta: 113
Charlotte: 104
Median Income
Atlanta: $71,400
Charlotte: $68,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Atlanta has the same purchasing power as $92,035 in Charlotte — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Charlotte cost 5% more (-$20,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Atlanta saves you $19/month — $228 per year. Median rent: $1,576/mo in Atlanta vs $1,595/mo in Charlotte.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Atlanta owners pay roughly $3,542/year in property taxes vs $2,884/year in Charlotte. That's a $658 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $71,400 in Atlanta and $68,600 in Charlotte. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Atlanta vs 27 minutes in Charlotte. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Atlanta to Charlotte, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Atlanta | Equivalent in Charlotte | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,018 | -$3,982 |
| $75,000 | $69,027 | -$5,973 |
| $100,000 | $92,035 | -$7,965 |
| $150,000 | $138,053 | -$11,947 |
| $200,000 | $184,071 | -$15,929 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Atlanta Calculators
Charlotte Calculators
Related Comparisons
Atlanta vs Charlotte: Common Questions
Is Atlanta or Charlotte cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Charlotte is cheaper overall. Atlanta has a COL index of 113 while Charlotte scores 104 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Atlanta and Charlotte?
The median home price in Atlanta is $385,000 vs $365,000 in Charlotte — a difference of $20,000 (5%).
What salary do I need in Charlotte to match my Atlanta income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Atlanta is equivalent to $92,035 in Charlotte in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Charlotte has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 0.92%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,884/year vs $3,542/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.