Cheapest Places To Live in Georgia [2023 Data]

There are many things to envy about living in the Peach State. The state’s cost of living is 5.5% lower than the rest of the United States, but if you’re interested in city living, where can you get the best bang for your buck?

We gathered data from the state’s 100 most populous cities to investigate which ones are the cheapest places to live in Georgia. Here’s how they stack up:

1. Vidalia

• Population: 10,603

• Median income: $42,873

• Median rent: $578

• Median home price: $127,200

• Closest metropolitan city: Savannah, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car

Vidalia is a smaller city in central Georgia famous for growing exceptionally sweet onions by the same name. But delicious food isn’t the only thing Vidalia has to offer — it’s also the cheapest place to live in Georgia!

Vidalia has the least expensive rental prices, property taxes, and seventh lowest median home price in Georgia. The cost of living is almost 25% below the national average, too. These factors make living in Vidalia a great budget-friendly option.

2. Jesup

• Population: 9,943

• Median income: $49,315

• Median rent: $613

• Median home price: $165,300

• Closest metropolitan city: Savannah, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car

Heading south from Vidalia into Wayne County, you’ll find the city of Jesup. Its population is just under 10,000 — perfect if you’d like a quieter life. By car, Jesup is about an hour to the closest beach, making day trips easy whenever you want to see the coast.

Jesup is the second cheapest place to live in Georgia on our list. It boasts the second lowest rent, seventh lowest property taxes, and seventh lowest cost of living. These factors make moving to Jesup an affordable option in 2023.

3. Moultrie

• Population: 14,322

• Median income:$33,929

• Median rent: $654

• Median home price: $102,200 

• Closest metropolitan city: Tallahassee, about 1 hour 15 minutes by car

Moultrie is a small historic city located less than an hour from the Florida border. Not only does it feature several sites on the National Register of Historic Places, but it's also just a short drive to Reed Bingham State Park.

Moultrie takes third place because it features the second lowest cost of living and median home price in Georgia. It also has the fourth lowest average property taxes, so moving to Moultrie is perfect for anyone looking to lower their expenses.

4. Fitzgerald

• Population: 8,943

• Median income: $30,268

• Median rent: $651

• Median home price: $99,200

• Closest metropolitan city: Columbus, about 2 hours 30 minutes by car

In Fitzgerald, you’ll have some unique neighbors: the wild Burmese chickens that have also called Fitzgerald home since the ‘60s. The Wild Chicken Festival celebrates them every year but also highlights local food, artisans, and music.

When it comes to the cost of living in Fitzgerald, it’s the fourth least expensive place to live in Georgia. It has the lowest median home price, fourth lowest cost of living, and second lowest property taxes.

5. Douglas

• Population: 11,797

• Median income: $36,436

• Median rent: $634

• Median home price: $122,000

• Closest metropolitan city: Jacksonville, about 2 hours 15 minutes by car

Douglas is a historically agricultural town in southeast Georgia. It boasts 10 public parks, including the Broxton Rocks Preserve, where you can explore various pools and gorges. It’s also home to General Coffee State Park, where you can spend a few hours or camp for a few days.

Along with these attractions, Douglas is the fifth cheapest city to live in Georgia. It has the fourth lowest rent, sixth lowest home price, and fifth lowest property taxes. The cherry on top? The cost of living in Douglas is over 27% lower than the national average.

6. Bainbridge

• Population: 13,935

• Median income: $40,544

• Median rent: $665

• Median home price: $137,500

• Closest metropolitan city: Tallahassee, about 1 hour by car

Bainbridge sits in southwest Georgia and borders Florida. It’s very close to Lake Seminole, where you can participate in water sports, fishing, birding, and hiking. It also offers campgrounds for people who like to get away for a while.

This city breaches the top 10 in monthly rent, cost of living, home price, and property taxes, which contributes to its ranking as the seventh cheapest place to live in Georgia. Consider moving to Bainbridge if you’re looking to lower your cost of living in 2023.

7. Perry

• Population: 24,461

• Median income: $62,789

• Median rent: $790

• Median home price: $170,500

• Closest metropolitan city: Columbus, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car

Perry is a small city east of Columbus. It’s a military town with a large population employed at Robins Air Force Base, which is just 30 minutes away. Perry also has a picturesque historic downtown area, where you can browse local shops and eateries.

Perry has the 17th lowest median home price. However, home prices in Perry are relatively low — it has the second best home price-to-income ratio on our list. This makes it the seventh cheapest place to live overall.

8. Waycross

• Population: 13,502

• Median income: $31,151

• Median rent: $658

• Median home price: $109,700

• Closest metropolitan city: Jacksonville, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car

Waycross is the only city in Ware County and has just over 13,500 residents. No one knows for sure where Waycross got its name, but many think it refers to the nearby junction between the Savannah Railroad and an unnamed line that runs from Brunswick to Albany.

Waycross has low median home prices and cost of living, scoring fifth and eighth, respectively. It scores eighth for lowest rent, property taxes, and overall on our list, so moving to Waycross is an inexpensive choice for many families.

9. Americus

• Population: 15,629

• Median income: $33,069

• Median rent: $715

• Median home price: $112,200

• Closest metropolitan city: Columbus, about 1 hour by car

Americus was a small courthouse town before it experienced rapid development in the mid-1850s once a railroad line connected it to the rest of the state. Now, Americus features Habitat for Humanity’s international headquarters and stays connected by the Jimmy Carter Regional Airport.

Where cost of living is concerned, Americus tops our list and is 30.3% less expensive than the rest of America. It has the fourth lowest median home price, but higher rent and property taxes, in 16th and 17th place, respectively. This makes Americus the ninth cheapest city in Georgia.

10. Warner Robins

• Population: 83,384

• Median income: $58,379

• Median rent: $944

• Median home price: $170,500

• Closest metropolitan city: Atlanta, about 1 hour 45 minutes by car

You might recognize Warner Robins from spot 30 on our list of the safest cities in Georgia. It’s a mid-sized city in central Georgia with over 83,000 residents. Many residents work at the nearby air force base and spend their time experiencing Georgia’s culture and browsing locally made goods at the Georgia Artisan Center.

Warner Robins earns the 10th spot due to having the seventh best income-to-home-price ratio and 17th best median home price on our list. Whether or not you have a career in the military, look for your next home in Warner Robins.

11. Toccoa

• Population: 9,248

• Median income: $48,039

• Median rent: $712

• Median home price: $179,000

• Closest metropolitan city: Atlanta, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car

Toccoa is a small city in northeast Georgia with a thriving arts community. It’s home to the Toccoa Symphony Orchestra, where local musicians have been gathering to perform for over 40 years. It’s also home to the historic Ritz Theatre with an iconic vintage facade where you can see musicians of all genres perform.

Toccoa attracts residents with its low cost of living at 26.1% below the national average, and has the 14th lowest median rent on our list. Check out living in Toccoa to explore the 11th cheapest place to live in Georgia.

12. Dalton

• Population: 34,267

• Median income: $49,656

• Median rent: $714

• Median home price: $184,900

• Closest metropolitan city: Chattanooga, about 45 minutes by car

Dalton is a mid-sized city in northwest Georgia with a manufacturing-based economy, often called the “Carpet capital of the world.” Dalton is also less than an hour from Chattanooga, TN, making it a great place to live if you value proximity to major municipal areas.

Living in Dalton means paying the 15th lowest rent and 14th lowest property taxes on our list. Its relative cost of living is a bit higher, but still 18.9% below the national average, which brings it to the 12th overall spot.

13. Albany

• Population: 68,181

• Median income: $40,036

• Median rent: $766

• Median home price: $141,300

• Closest metropolitan city: Columbia, about 1 hour 30 minutes by car

Albany is a mid-sized city in southern Georgia that got its start in the shipping industry via steamboat. Now, the economy is supported by manufacturing from major brands such as Procter & Gamble and Mars, Incorporated.

While living in Albany, you’ll benefit from the 11th lowest cost of living and 10th lowest median home price on our list. However, property taxes are higher, and in spot 31. This makes it the 13th cheapest city to live in Georgia.

14. Augusta

• Population: 199,894

• Median income: $46,108

• Median rent: $908

• Median home price: $150,300

• Closest metropolitan city: Augusta

If you’re looking to live life in a big city, you’re probably happy to see Augusta is one of our 15 cheapest cities in Georgia. Augusta is a major city with a ton of things to do and a large population of nearly 200,000. But it’s also about two hours to Atlanta, Charlotte, Savannah, or Charleston, so it’s well connected to major Southern metropolitan areas.

Because Augusta is a major city, rent is higher at an average of $908 per month. So how is Augusta the 14th cheapest place to live in Georgia? Its median home price is the 11th cheapest of the cities we studied, making buying a home in Augusta a great choice. 

15. Cairo

• Population: 9,716

• Median income: $36,442

• Median rent: $752

• Median home price: $151,300

• Closest metropolitan city: Tallahassee, about 1 hour by car

Cairo is a city in south Georgia that lies less than an hour north of Tallahassee, FL. It’s self-proclaimed as Georgia’s Hospitality City, making it a perfect choice if you’re looking for a city with a friendly, small-town feel.

Cairo takes the final spot on our list due to its low property taxes and median home price. While there are many factors that bring down the cost of living in Cairo, it has a relatively low median income. This makes it the 15th cheapest city in Georgia.

Additional Cheapest Places To Live in Georgia

These cities didn’t make the top 15 on our list, but they’re still worth checking out if you’re looking for your next home in Georgia.

16. Columbus

17. Cordele

18. Riverdale

19. Tifton

20. Thomasville

21. Auburn

22. Villa Rica

23. Thomaston

24. Hinesville

25. Pooler

26. Fort Oglethorpe

27. Milledgeville

28. Port Wentworth

29. Dublin

30. Cartersville 

Methodology

To determine which cities are the cheapest places to live in Georgia, we considered the 100 most populous cities in the state.

Using the U.S. Census 2022 estimates, we looked at six affordability factors to rank the cheapest cities to live in Georgia and weighted them as noted below:

• Median monthly rental price by city – 20%

• Median home price by county – 20%

• Median home price-to-median-income ratio — 15% 

• Cost of living – 15%

• Median income by city – 10%

• Average property tax by county – 10%

• Poverty rate — 10%

Explore the Peach State With UpHomes

No matter where you’re thinking of moving, budget and cost of living is top of mind for many Americans. That’s why we’re dedicated to sharing the cheapest places to live in Georgia and beyond. Trust UpHomes to help you find a home in your budget where you’ll be safe and happy for years to come.