Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Atlanta, GA?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 26% of gross income.
Atlanta rent: September 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Georgia state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Georgia cities have lower median rent than Atlanta, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Atlanta
View full rent data for Atlanta, GA →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Atlanta, GA?
Median rent in Atlanta is $1,942 a month. A typical registered nurse in Georgia earns about $89,756 a year, which makes that rent 26% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Atlanta?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Georgia (~$89,756/yr) supports up to $2,244 a month in rent. Atlanta's current median rent is $1,942/mo, which leaves a $302/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Atlanta?
At an hourly equivalent of about $43 an hour, a registered nurse in Georgia works roughly 45 hours a month to cover Atlanta's median rent of $1,942.
Where is rent cheaper than Atlanta for a registered nurse?
Nearby Georgia cities with lower median rent include Hiram ($1,941/mo), Fairburn ($1,941/mo), Suwanee ($1,940/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.