Do you earn enough to live comfortably in Georgia? See what study says

Cost of living comfortably in Georgia

A new study has determined how much it costs to live comfortably in all of the states. It costs almost $97,000 per year to live comfortably in Georgia.

ATLANTA - A new study by SmartAsset.com shows how much income is needed to live comfortably in each state in 2024.

Using a 50-30-20 rule (50% on essentials, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings or debt repayment), the study found that single Georgians need to make nearly $97,000 a year or $46.58 per hour.

This places Georgia 15th on the list.

The income needed for 2 working adults raising 2 children in the state of Georgia to live comfortably is $212,826, according to SmartAsset.

Massachusetts is the most expensive state, requiring $116,000 for a comfortable life.

In contrast, West Virginia is more affordable, with $78,000 needed for comfort.

The 5 most expensive states are:

1. Massachusetts $116,022

2. Hawaii $113,693

3. California $113,651

4. New York $111,738

5. Washington $106,496

The 5 least expensive states are:

1. West Virginia $78,790

2. Arkansas $79,456

3. Oklahoma $80,413

4. North Dakota $80,538

5. Ohio $80,704

Outside the big cities, life can be cheaper. SmartAsset also broke it down by city and determined that single adults in Atlanta need $107,453 to live comfortably. Atlanta ranked 79th on SmartAsset's city list.

The top 5 cities with lowest annual salary needed for a comfortable lifestyle for a single adult are:

1. Houston, Texas $75,088

2. El Paso, Texas $75,254

3. Lubbock, Texas $75,379

4. Toledo, Ohio $77,501

5. Laredo, Texas $78,458

The top 5 cities with highest annual salary needed are:

1. New York City, New York $138,570

2. San Jose, California $136,739

3. Santa Ana, California $126,797

4. Irvine, California $126,797

5. Boston, Massachusetts $124,966