Moving to Georgia from Arizona

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Arizona to Georgia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Arizona to Georgia, you would find that Georgia is 0.8% more expensive than Arizona. A $75,000 salary in Arizona would need to be roughly $73,483 in Georgia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Atlanta averages 72°F vs 87°F in Phoenix, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Arizona and Georgia.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,483

To maintain the same standard of living in Georgia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.6% less

Groceries

pay 2.9% more

Transportation

pay 6.5% more

Housing

pay 9.8% less

Childcare

pay 16.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Georgia cost about 7% less than cities in Arizona.

Arizona

Tempe 68%
Mesa 66%

Georgia

Marietta 70%
Savannah 66%
Athens 56%
Augusta 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Georgia compared to Arizona.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
398
GA
343
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
1752
GA
1779

Arizona generally does better on safety, though Georgia leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

AZ
10.0%
GA
11.8%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AZ
33.6%
GA
37.0%

Arizona performs better than Georgia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

AZ
$358,900
GA
$272,900
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

AZ
$1,431
GA
$1,306

Georgia generally does better on what about housing?, though Arizona leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AZ
90.5%
GA
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

AZ
26 min
GA
28 min

Arizona performs better than Georgia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AZ
4.0%
GA
3.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AZ
$58,628
GA
$61,706

Arizona generally does better on employment & economy, though Georgia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

AZ
76.3 yrs
GA
75.6 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

AZ
21%
GA
22%

Arizona generally does better on family life, though Georgia leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phoenix Rain: 8.2 in/yr (208 mm)
87° / 63°F

Avg. annual high / low

Atlanta Rain: 49.7 in/yr (1263 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phoenix Atlanta
Jan–Mar 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) 58°/39°F (14°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) 86°/69°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 64°/45°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Phoenix Atlanta
Jan 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.3°C)
Feb 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.2°C)
Mar 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) 65°/44°F (18.1°/6.7°C)
Apr 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) 72°/51°F (22.5°/10.8°C)
May 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.6°/15.7°C)
Jun 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.1°C)
Jul 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) 89°/71°F (31.7°/21.8°C)
Aug 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C)
Sep 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) 82°/65°F (27.9°/18.2°C)
Oct 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) 73°/54°F (22.6°/12.2°C)
Nov 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.9°C)
Dec 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) 54°/36°F (12.2°/2.5°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Georgia than Arizona?

Georgia and Arizona are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Georgia?

Budget about $18,371 for 3 months in Georgia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Georgia safe?

Arizona generally does better on safety, though Georgia leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Georgia compared to Arizona?

Arizona performs better than Georgia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Georgia compared to Arizona?

The average high temperature in Atlanta is 72°F, compared to 87°F in Phoenix. Atlanta receives around 49.7 in of rainfall per year, while Phoenix gets 8.2 in.

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