Cost of Living in Austin, TX
Weighing an offer or a move to Austin? Enter an amount from another city and see what it takes to maintain the same lifestyle here.
Austin carries an estimated cost of living index of 110 — about 10% above the US national average and noticeably higher than Dallas or San Antonio. The driver is straightforward: a sustained tech boom brought major employers and a wave of high-income transplants to the city over the past decade, and new housing construction — despite being significant by national standards — struggled for years to keep pace with demand. That imbalance pushed home prices and rents up sharply, especially in and around the urban core and fast-growing suburbs like Round Rock and Cedar Park. Rapid growth has also outpaced road and transit capacity, and corridors like I-35 are notorious for congestion, which adds real time and fuel costs on top of the headline cost of living figure. Like the rest of Texas, Austin has no state income tax, but Travis County property taxes run comparatively high, partly offsetting that advantage for homeowners. The city's live music, food, and outdoor culture remain a big part of its appeal despite the rising costs, and it continues to draw workers willing to pay a premium for the combination of no income tax and strong job opportunities. Use the calculator below to translate a salary or budget figure from wherever you're comparing into a rough Austin equivalent.
*Estimates only, based on a single composite index. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household size, and lifestyle — not financial advice.
🏙️ Living Costs in Austin
What drives the numbers, and how to read this calculator.
How it Works
Enter what you earn or spend in another city and its index. The calculator scales that figure by Austin's index to estimate an equivalent.
The Formula
Equivalent = Amount × (Austin Index ÷ Other City Index). With Austin at 110, a figure from a city at 100 scales up by about 10%.
Pro Tip
Suburbs like Round Rock and Pflugerville often run cheaper than central Austin while keeping a manageable commute — worth comparing before committing to a downtown-adjacent budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Austin's cost of living index? +
Austin has an estimated cost of living index of about 110, roughly 10% above the US national average. A decade-long tech boom drove rapid population growth that outpaced new housing supply, pushing both home prices and rents well above the rest of Texas.
Why has Austin gotten so much more expensive? +
Major tech employers expanded or relocated headquarters and offices to Austin over the 2010s and early 2020s, drawing in a wave of high-income workers. Housing construction, while significant, struggled for years to keep pace with demand, which pushed the city's cost of living well above the Texas average and above the national average as well.
Does Austin have a state income tax? +
No. Like the rest of Texas, Austin has no state personal income tax. However, property taxes in Austin and surrounding Travis County are relatively high, which partially offsets the appeal of no income tax for homeowners.
Is traffic a real cost-of-living factor in Austin? +
Yes, rapid population growth has outpaced road and transit infrastructure, and corridors like I-35 are known for heavy congestion. Longer commute times translate into real costs — fuel, vehicle wear, and time — that are worth factoring in alongside straightforward housing and grocery costs.
Is this Austin cost of living calculator accurate for my exact budget? +
The calculator gives an illustrative estimate based on a single composite index, not a personalized budget. Costs vary significantly between central Austin and outlying suburbs like Round Rock or Cedar Park, so treat the result as a starting point rather than a precise financial figure.