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Atlanta
#22 of 124
North America

Atlanta

GA, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Atlanta compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Atlanta is 21% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Atlanta compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$145,030
-$128K (-47%) vs San Francisco
Based on 938 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$95,720
-$77K (-45%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 34%

Community Insights

New
7.4/10

Atlanta presents a compelling value proposition for software engineers, offering a tier-one tech career without the crushing cost of living found in traditional hubs. The data supports this, ranking the city exceptionally high for housing affordability and purchasing power. Residents describe a vibrant, diverse city with a booming food scene and a unique "city in a forest" atmosphere. However, the lifestyle comes with specific trade-offs: it is a driving-centric city with infamous traffic and a safety index that ranks poorly compared to peer cities. For many, the ability to buy a large home and build wealth rapidly outweighs the frustrations of a commute and the humid summers.

The Good

  • : Software engineers enjoy a luxurious standard of living due to the combination of high tech salaries and significantly lower housing costs compared to hubs like NYC or SF.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Home Affordability

Top 7%

#9

of 124 cities

≈2.6 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Net Income

Top 17%

#21

of 124 cities

$95,720/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Top 18%

#22

of 124 cities

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Atlanta compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$3,151 / m²
68% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Atlanta to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
30% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Atlanta

Google logo
Google
Amazon logo
Amazon
Intuit logo
Intuit
High purchasing power
  • Thriving tech ecosystem: Known as the "Silicon Valley of the South," the city hosts major fintech, health-tech, and cybersecurity hubs with employers like Microsoft, Google, and Mailchimp expanding their presence.
  • Housing affordability: Buying a home is realistically achievable for tech workers, with spacious properties in leafy neighborhoods costing a fraction of what they would in coastal cities.
  • Diverse and inclusive culture: Residents praise the city's rich history, Black tech excellence, and diverse population, fostering a welcoming environment for professionals from all backgrounds.
  • Global connectivity: Home to the world's busiest airport, making international travel and visiting family incredibly convenient.
  • City in a forest: Abundant greenery, tree-lined streets, and the BeltLine trail system offer excellent access to nature despite being a major metropolitan area.

    • The Bad

    • Car dependency and traffic: Public transit (MARTA) is limited mostly to the city center; owning a car is virtually mandatory, and gridlock traffic is a notorious daily struggle.
    • Urban sprawl: The metro area is massive, meaning living in affordable suburbs often results in long, draining commutes to tech hubs in Midtown or Buckhead.
    • Safety concerns: Crime rates are statistically higher than the national average, with property crime being a frequent complaint in discussions about specific neighborhoods.
    • Summer climate: The weather is extremely humid and hot in the summer, often accompanied by bugs and mosquitoes, which can be oppressive for those not used to the subtropics.
    • Variable school quality: Public school ratings vary drastically by zip code, often forcing families to choose between expensive private schools or moving to specific, pricier suburbs.

    Moving Here

    Moderate

    Moving here is linguistically and culturally easy for English speakers, thanks to a diverse population and "Southern hospitality." However, the immigration aspect is governed by strict US federal laws, making visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1) the primary hurdle for non-citizens. There is no specific digital nomad visa. Once legal residency is established, settling in is straightforward, though navigating the rental market usually requires a credit history. The expat community is growing but not as dominant as in global gateway cities.

    Who Is This City For?

    Wealth-builders and families who value space, greenery, and cultural diversity will thrive here. It is an excellent spot for mid-career professionals looking to maximize their savings rate while staying in a major tech market. Conversely, urbanists who rely on walkability/public transit and those prioritizing low-crime statistics above all else should likely avoid it.

    Updated 1/20/2026

    Weather6.2/10-29% vs San Francisco
    Safety36-9%
    Pollution45-8%
    Events14-82%
    6.2/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    22°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
    Average Low
    12°C(same as San Francisco)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,738h/yr-323h/yr(-11%)
    Hottest Month High
    31°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
    Coldest Month Low
    2°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
    Rainy Days
    112/yr+63/yr(+130%)

    Community & Quality

    Atlanta community pulse

    Atlanta has 14 Luma events listed.

    82% fewer events than San Francisco.

    Community Events

    Top 27%

    #33

    of 124 cities

    14 events on luma

    Current value

    Comfortable Weather

    Top 29%

    #36

    of 124 cities

    62/100 weather score

    Current value

    Pollution Score

    Middle of the pack

    #56

    of 124 cities

    45.1/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Tax Rate

    Bottom 33%

    #84

    of 124 cities

    34%

    Current value (lower is better)

    Cost of Living

    Bottom 24%

    #96

    of 124 cities

    61/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Safety Index

    Bottom 12%

    #110

    of 124 cities

    35.9/100

    Current value

    SWE Affordability
    2.6 years
    2.0 years quicker than San Francisco
    Muggy Days
    89/yr+89/yr(+44350%)
    Cloud Cover
    44%(vs 34% in San Francisco)