Cost of living in Austin research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Austin is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Texas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Austin is 121, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Austin is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Austin ranks as the #355 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Austin ranks as the #4,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Austin is $497,814.
The median income in Austin is $91,461.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Austin has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Austin has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Austin ranks as #355 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Austin ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Austin, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Austin. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Austin is 94.
The Groceries index in Austin is 99.
The Health index in Austin is 97.
The Housing index in Austin is 176.
The Transportation index in Austin is 90.
The Utilities index in Austin is 96.
| Living Expense | Austin | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 121 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 176 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Texas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Austin is $497,814.
The Median Rent in Austin is $1,655.
The Median Income in Austin is $91,461.
The Home Value To Income in Austin is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Austin is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Austin. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Round Rock, TX has a cost of living index of 109, 0.9x Austin.
Cedar Park, TX has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Austin.
Leander, TX has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Austin.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Rock, TX | 124,288 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Cedar Park, TX | 77,474 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Leander, TX | 67,880 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Pflugerville, TX | 65,162 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Brushy Creek, TX | 20,953 | 119 | 1.0x |
| Lakeway, TX | 19,130 | 140 | 1.2x |
| Wells Branch, TX | 14,156 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Hornsby Bend, TX | 12,021 | 103 | 0.9x |