We’ve already talked about the Pros and Cons of Living in Augusta, GA. In this article, however, we’re going to talk about the cost of living in Augusta, GA. Is it affordable? Are the houses in Augusta cheap or expensive? What are the grocery and transportation costs in our fine city? We’ll answer all of these questions (plus some other exciting stuff, too). If you’re about to make a move to lovely Augusta, all the info you need to know is below! Enjoy!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
What Does ‘Cost of Living in Augusta’ Mean?
Every city in America is different, especially when it comes to expenses. Some have low numbers for, say, housing and healthcare, while others are much higher. Others have high rental costs but much lower grocery costs. Each of these costs impacts your budget, of course, depending on your specific situation. If you have young children, one city might be better than another. You could say the same for a young professional, a retiree, or someone mid-career. That’s why it’s always a good idea to look at all the major expenses before moving anywhere. We’ve broken them down for you below.
When you arrive in Augusta, SecurCare (that’s us!) is here to help with any storage needs you might have. You can chat online with a friendly manager whenever you like. Now let’s get to the Cost of Living in Augusta, GA.
Overall = 80.7/100 (Good)
The overall cost of living in Augusta is excellent, no doubt. 80.7/100 is a fantastic score and means that our city is almost 20 points lower than the national average. One of the reasons why is that, as we’ll see in a moment, housing costs are incredibly affordable here. Transportation costs and groceries are also lower than average. However, utilities and healthcare are slightly above. What that boils down to is an overall cost of living in Augusta, GA, that’s quite affordable.
Housing = 50.1/100 (Fair)
The biggest reason Augusta’s overall cost of living is low is that housing prices here are low. At 50.1/100, they’re nearly 50% less than the national average! That’s phenomenal no matter who you are and makes our city very inviting, especially for young families and retirees. With housing costs so low, you have much more of your budget left at the end of the month. Depending on your job and income, that can make life much more comfortable, financially speaking. Again, housing prices are the main reason the cost of living in Augusta, GA, is lower than the national average. You’ll get more home for your money when you live and work here. Speaking of housing, many who live in Augusta rent storage units to store their extra stuff. (Houses are cheap here, but they still fill up!) Storage units are an affordable, safe and clean way to store practically anything. That includes things from home and work, as well as boats, cars, RVs, and more.
Healthcare = 102.7/100 (Poor)
Healthcare is one of the two costs that are higher in Augusta rather than lower. The good news is that it’s only slightly higher at 102.7/100. That means, compared to the national average, we’re only marginally higher. It’s not great news, but it’s not the end of the world, either. Depending on your age and health, this is one of the costs that might not affect you or affect you substantially. Young professionals, for example, will likely be less impacted by these costs than retirees. Still, healthcare impacts the cost of living in Augusta, GA, only slightly.
Median Home Cost = $115,900.00 (Good)
This category is where Augusta truly shines! At 50.1/100, our beautiful city is almost 50 points less than the national average. No matter who you are that will make a big difference in your monthly expenses. The numbers tell the entire story. For example, Georgia’s median home cost is $186,500, while the US’s median home cost is $231,200. In Augusta, though, the median home cost is $115,900. That’s over $105,000 less than the national average and more than $70,000 less than Georgia’s average, which is phenomenal! Housing is usually the highest cost a person pays every month, it’s true. What that means when living in Augusta is that your monthly bills will be much easier to swallow!
Groceries = 95.3/100 (Fair)
Food is an essential part of life, and food costs are one of the biggest you’ll pay every month. In Augusta, those costs will be about 5% less than the national average. We score a 95.3/100, which is a fair score while not being the best. Food costs impact families much differently, though, depending on their size. For example, if you’re single, food costs won’t affect you nearly as much as a family with three kids. While not a great score, Augusta’s grocery costs will still be kind to your budget and bank account.
Transportation / Commuting = 84.2/100 (Fair)
Another area where Augusta scores relatively well in terms of cost is transportation. We rate an 84.2/100, almost 16 points below the national average. That’s also a much better score than Georgia overall, at 105.1/100. (That’s a difference of over 30 points!) Transportation and commuting costs are lower because the average one-way commute in Augusta is just above 20 minutes. That’s over six minutes shorter than the national average, which, although it doesn’t sound like much, does add up.
Utilities = 104.2/100 (Poor)
At 104.2/100, utility costs are one area where Augusta takes a small hit, expense-wise. Still, at less than 6 points different, it’s not a huge difference by any means. Surprisingly, we rate slightly worse than the Georgia average of 103.2/100. That’s likely because Augusta is in the middle of the state, not on the coast. One of the biggest reasons utilities here are higher is air-conditioning, which is a must most of the year. Still, as the cost of living in Augusta goes, utility expenses here aren’t ridiculous.
Miscellaneous Expenses – 95/100 (Fair)
Last but not least we come to miscellaneous expenses, which include a wide range of things. Child care costs, for example. Your cell phone plan, pet care costs, etc. It also includes expenses like computers, clothing, work uniforms, and taxes. At 95/100, we’re a little bit below the national average overall but just a wee bit higher than the Georgia average. It’s nothing to write home about, but anything less than the national average is always good news.
And there they are, the major expenses that make up the cost of living in Augusta, GA! We hope this list helped answer your questions and make some decisions easier. Best of luck in your new Augusta home! We know you’ll love living and working here because we do too!
Read more about Georgia on the SecurCare blog!
I think the cost of living is poor in Augusta Ga on a one person salary when you have other expenses such as water utilities car note car insurance rental insurance, you don’t have much left for food and gas on a minimum wage job. Or a 9 dollar a hour job you need 2 incomes to make it.
We moved here in August, 2018 when we retired in Pa./MD. Area
due to high utility bills, Gasoline prices, winter weather (Cold) and high Taxes. Thus far, it has been much more affordable for our Retirement Funds, mainly
Social Secirity Benefits, etc.
Health care not as bad as it seems but could be better. I Strongly suggest a supplemental plan to help cover insurance cost.
Gasoline 75 cents less than Pa.
and much lower taxes and Utility Rates.
Glad I made the move, however we do visit Pa. When we can to visit wife’s family and friends.
Lived in this area nearly all my life. Income gap is poor and entertainment is lacking. Csra does has low crime compared to other cities. It’s perfect for raising a simple family life.
Living in Augusta all my life has shown me the cost of living here sucks. I have had to live in my car on and off for 3 to 4 years. The bad apartments in Augusta are like 600-700 a month. While better than major cities Augusta is lack luster in everything. I wish to move away but can never make enough to do so and support my children.