

Athens vs Gainesville
$353/mo more in Gainesville
AthensGainesvilleAbout 43 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Gainesville leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $1,955/mo in Gainesville. $1,602/mo in Athens. +$4,236 a year.
Athens
$1,602
left each month
Gainesville
$1,955
+$353 vs Athens
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 85 households moved Athens → Gainesville (avg AGI $53,494). 147 went the other way. The whole move →
+$353 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Athens | Gainesville | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,250 | $6,875 | +$625 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,427 | $1,645 | +$218 |
| Take-home pay | $4,823 | $5,230 | +$407 |
| Rent | $1,297 | $1,318 | +$21 |
| Getting around | $527 | $559 | +$32 |
| Groceries | $386 | $386 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $434 | $434 | $0 |
| Utilities | $241 | $241 | $0 |
| Everything else | $337 | $337 | $0 |
| Left over | $1,602 | $1,955 | +$353 |
Salary to match Athens
$76,000
Gross pay in Gainesville that leaves the same amount as $75,000 in Athens.
Tax difference
−$389
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 22.8% in Athens, 23.9% in Gainesville.
More about Gainesville
Athens, GA in full
A flat 5.19% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,544 and 210 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
Gainesville, GA in full
A flat 5.19% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,569 and 211 sunny days; commutes average 28 minutes.
The other way
Start in Gainesville.
Gainesville → Athens →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Gainesville than Athens?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Gainesville leaves about $353 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,297 in Athens and $1,318 in Gainesville.
Does Gainesville have state income tax?
Gainesville is in Georgia, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Athens to Gainesville?
The paycheck is taxed in Georgia. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Athens and Gainesville changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.