Cost of living by state
Weighing a move? Compare any two states side by side — cost of living, taxes, and demographics — then pick your specialty to see what that salary is really worth once it's adjusted for local prices. Green means cheaper or better; red means pricier or worse.
Overall cost of living
Michigan is 0.1% cheaper overall than Georgia.
What Ophthalmology pay is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Georgia
- Median pay
- $342,700
- After tax
- $223,461
$232,047worth here
Michigan
- Median pay
- $258,160
- After tax
- $177,129
$184,126worth here
Pay source: BLS OEWS May 2025 — “Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric”.
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Georgia | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Housing (rent) | 88.7 | 82.3 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 100.2 |
| Goods | 98.9 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 97.3 | 100.9 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 5.39% | 4.25% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 7.42% | 6% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.77% | 1.15% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 10,822,590 | 10,051,595 |
| Median household income | $74,664 | $71,149 |
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.40% | 72.90% |
| Median home value | $272,900 | $217,600 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024) · U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts · Tax Foundation. Figures are the latest published; cost-of-living is a price-level index, not tax-adjusted take-home pay.
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VitalPost shows sourced, public data for context only — it isn't financial or tax advice. Cost-of-living is a price-level index (US average = 100); taxes shown are statewide/averaged and don't capture local income or the specifics of your situation.