A+
7%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
16%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Rome Georgia National
Cost of living9395100
Goods & Services10197100
Groceries9998100
Health care10598100
Housing8488100
Transportation8898100
Utilities88100100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Rome, GA

Knowing the cost of living in Rome allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Rome stands at 93, marking it 7% lower than the national average.

Everyday expenditures like food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care in Rome are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Rome can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Rome?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 9 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Rome. The results indicated that 33% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 67% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Rome Affordable?

Is Rome an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Rome, the median home price is 13.9% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 20.6% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Rome come in at $58,534, which is 28% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Rome?

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may institute government subsidies or assistance programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with the cost of living for their residents. These programs encompass a variety of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Areas that provide fewer subsidies may see an uptick in their overall cost of living.

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Rome, the groceries index is 1.1% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Rome cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Rome is 2% lower than the Georgia average
  • The cost of living in Rome is 7% lower than the national average
  • Rome housing is 16% lower than the national average
  • Georgia general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • Georgia state income tax is 61% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Rome

See all the best places to live around Rome

Compare Rome, GA Cost of Living

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      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$105,062$8,755$2,451$3,152
      Renters$41,082$3,424$959$1,233
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Rome is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Rome has a median income of about $105,062 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $2,451 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $41,082. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $959 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Georgia Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Georgia 4% 8%

      Georgia Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Georgia 1% 5.57%

      Goods & Services

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.32$27.624.7%
      Beauty Salon $41.20$51.1119.4%
      Toothpaste $4.06$4.090.8%
      Shampoo $1.47$1.544.7%
      Movie $11.57$12.8810.2%
      Yoga $12.69$19.6635.5%

      Groceries

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $8.17$7.706.0%
      Fried Chicken $1.53$1.668.0%
      Milk $4.87$4.732.9%
      Potatoes $5.00$5.264.9%
      Pizza $12.98$12.761.7%
      Beer $10.51$10.550.4%

      Health Care

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $116.31$140.0617.0%
      Doctor $210.75$153.8237.0%
      Dentist $124.09$123.150.8%
      Ibuprofen $11.94$11.731.8%
      Lipitor $18.68$23.6120.9%

      Housing

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      Home Price $281,079.00$326,622.0013.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $1,640.88$2,480.2533.8%
      Apartment Rent $1,146.00$1,444.0020.6%

      Transportation

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.82$3.067.7%
      Tire Balancing $49.81$65.2123.6%

      Utilities

      Item Rome National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $179.94$220.1218.3%
      Phone $193.06$195.711.4%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Summerville, GA4,3707920.6%
      Lyerly, GA5058019.7%
      Kingston, GA6578218.0%
      Cave Spring, GA1,2258416.3%
      Lindale, GA5,4698614.4%
      Rome, GA37,605937.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      New Albany, IN37,605919.3%
      Roseville, MN37,57711010.2%
      Dunedin, FL37,5531077.1%
      Holly Springs, NC37,53812222.4%
      Lewiston, ME37,532981.6%
      Rome, GA37,605937.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.