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Key Summary
- Atlanta offers international students an affordable lifestyle with reasonable costs for transport, food, accommodation, and utilities.
- The city is a major education hub with top-ranked universities, strong job exposure, and diverse student-friendly opportunities.
- With good weather, vibrant culture, and well-connected public transport, Atlanta is a comfortable and practical study-abroad destination.
Students who are applying to colleges or universities abroad are often concerned and confused about the expenses they must cover during their stay. After already going through the tedious task of completing the admission process of foreign universities, the student might get overwhelmed by looking after and calculating further expenses that will be incurred in a foreign land. To help you in case of your coming journey to Atlanta as an international student, this blog has listed down the average expenses of different categories of resources required for your stay. If you are planning or on your way to moving to Atlanta, then this blog about the cost of living in Atlanta can bring much information to you!
This Blog Includes:
Must Read: Universities in Atlanta
Why Choose Atlanta to Study Abroad?
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, one of the US states, is an excellent place to study as an international student. Atlanta boasts of diverse nationalities settling or living a huge part of their lives in the city to make up their career and enjoy a comfortable life with a good atmosphere. Also, there are many other reasons why Atlanta is chosen by students from across the globe to achieve their study abroad dream.
- Superior Quality of Education: The area boasts more than 15 universities and is one of the country’s premier education hubs, offering opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds and helping them succeed in life.
- High Exposure to Good Jobs: Atlanta is home to many big corporations, which helps students to acknowledge and explore the diverse fields of opportunities and helps them figure out their choices earnestly.
- Challenging: Getting through a good college and studying around the best minds as peers and colleagues might be overwhelming initially, but in the long run, the student will get a broader perspective and understanding of life through various mirrors of knowledge. The brightest minds can be contagious yet challenging but will leave the students better to go through their careers and lives.
- Best Universities: Atlanta has some of the top-ranked universities and colleges in the US, where the students will get excellent faculty with amazing course outlines, along with extra-curricular exposure to train them for the future world of employment and leadership.
- Amazing Weather: Atlanta has some of the best weather almost all year round, which can be highly preferable for students.
Also Read: High Acceptance Rate Universities in USA
Cost of Living in Atlanta
An international student who is planning to move abroad for his or her studies may have many queries related to the expenses and other bills that must be paid during the stay. An international student who is going to Atlanta for their academic course must know the types of expenses that they will incur during their stay and get an overall idea about the monthly or annual budget. The categories of expenses have been listed below:
Transportation/Commutation
Being a student who already has many bills to pay and expenses to take care of, owning a car would be a not-so-good option, especially when the gasoline is expensive, and maintenance charges could really add up to a lot. Almost all parts of Atlanta are highly connected with its public transportation system, which can be really affordable to students. The Atlanta bus system is the most preferred public transport, which is linked to the region as a light rail system. For travelling through these public transport systems, it is highly recommended to get the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) Breeze Card not to end up standing in a queue to get a ticket every time you ride public transport in Atlanta.
| MARTA Breeze Card cost | USD 2 |
| MARTA Breeze Card monthly pass cost | USD 65-USD 75 |
Food/Restaurants
The cost of food and groceries is affordable and less expensive in Atlanta than the national average. The average monthly cost that might be spent on groceries can be around $320. However, it can really depend on the kind of groceries and meals that a student would likely take; the monthly expense could be more or less.
For students who wish to have a meal in a restaurant or are too tired of self-made food, Atlanta has good restaurants around the place. The price of the meal would depend on the aesthetics and luxury of the restaurant. A meal for a single person at an inexpensive restaurant could cost you around $15. A 3-course meal for two people at a good restaurant could cost up to $65.
Here are some of the best eateries in Atlanta for students:
- Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
- Buford Highway
- The White Bull
- Amalfi Pizza
- Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Accommodation
The type of accommodation can vary depending on the college or university’s requirements and can also vary as per the student’s preference. This category of your expenses can cost you the most among all the other expenses and can also vary greatly as on its types. Accommodation types for students can vary as well as their monthly cost. Following is the list of types of accommodation that a student can get and their average monthly cost in Atlanta:
| Accommodation Types | Average Monthly cost |
| On-Campus accommodation | $700 |
| Off-Campus accommodation | $734 |
Utility Bill/Expenses
Utility expenses include other types of expenses and bills that are essential for any student and must be paid on time. These can include electricity bills, internet bills, or mobile recharge bills, and can also include your clothing or laundry costs. For a student, the average utility bill or expense can be around $250 on a monthly basis.
Must read: Study in USA Guide for Indian Students 2023
Best Universities in Adelaide with Average Fees
Atlanta has some of the best-ranked universities in the world. Some of the best universities with average fees have been listed below:
| University name | Average fees |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | USD 50,000 |
| Emory University | USD 54,000 |
| Spelman College | USD 54,000 |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | USD 45,000 |
| Georgia State University | USD 30,000 |
Also Read: Top Public Universities in USA
FAQs
The average monthly cost for a student in Atlanta ranges between $1,200 to $1,600, including rent, food, transport, and utilities.
Yes, Atlanta is generally more affordable than cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, especially in terms of rent and daily expenses.
Yes, students can manage a portion of their expenses through part-time jobs, as Atlanta offers good opportunities in retail, hospitality, and campus roles.
This was all related to the Cost of Living in Atlanta. If you want to know more about the Study Abroad queries, you can come in contact with the Leverage Edu team through 1800 57 2000.
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