Real numbers. Tax-adjusted purchasing power. No sales pitch.
Austin's cost of living index of 121 puts it about 21% above the U.S. average — meaningfully cheaper than coastal hubs but no longer the bargain it was a decade ago. Texas charges no state income tax, which gives you back roughly 5–10% of your gross compared to high-tax states like California or New York. The math: on a $90,000 salary moving from NYC, you keep the equivalent of about $155,000 in NYC purchasing power. From Chicago, the move is closer to a wash.
For reference: $90,000 in Austin delivers roughly the same purchasing power as $155,235 would in New York City, after adjusting for both cost of living and state/city income taxes.
Compare your current city to Austin with your actual salary and job category.
Open the CalculatorRemote workers keeping coastal salaries, mid-career tech workers, anyone leaving a high-income-tax state, people who want a real urban scene without nyc or sf prices, families willing to commute or live in the suburbs for school quality.
People who hate heat (summers are 95–105°f from june through september), anyone who needs a walkable transit-dense city, those buying a home on a tight budget (austin home prices nearly doubled 2019–2022 and remain high), people moving from a deep-blue political environment expecting the same vibe.
Austin is bigger and more varied than most relocation guides admit. Here's a fast tour of the parts of the city people actually move to, and what they cost.
| Neighborhood | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Downtown / Rainey Street | high-rise condos, walkable to bars and the Colorado River. Most expensive part of the city. Studio/1BR rents commonly $2,200–3,000. |
| East Austin | the gentrification story — 2010 was scrappy, 2026 is expensive but still has the best food scene. 1BR around $1,700–2,200. |
| South Austin (78704) | older houses, walkable strips, Barton Springs nearby. Family-friendly but not cheap. 1BR ~$1,600–2,000. |
| North Austin / Domain | newer apartments, big-tech offices (Apple, Indeed, Facebook). More suburban feel. 1BR ~$1,400–1,800. |
| Round Rock / Pflugerville / Cedar Park | suburbs with the school-quality story. Buy a 3BR for under $400k in some areas. Long commute to downtown. |
These are typical salary bands for common roles in Austin based on market data. They're meant as anchors, not promises — your specific number depends on company, experience, and timing.
| Role | Mid-Career Low | Senior High |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer (mid-level) | $110,000 | $145,000 |
| Registered Nurse | $75,000 | $95,000 |
| Electrician (non-union) | $58,000 | $78,000 |
| Teacher (public) | $52,000 | $65,000 |
| Marketing Manager | $78,000 | $105,000 |
Want to estimate your specific salary in Austin? Use the main calculator — it has 109 job categories with city-specific scaling and the same tax math used above.
Austin is no longer the bargain it was — the cost of living index is 121, about 21% above the U.S. average, and median 1BR rent runs $1,700+. That said, it's still meaningfully cheaper than San Francisco (COL 188), New York City (187), or Boston (159), and the lack of state income tax adds real value if you're coming from a high-tax state. The honest answer: affordable compared to coastal hubs, expensive compared to most of the Midwest.
A single person can live reasonably comfortably on roughly $65,000–75,000 — covers a decent 1BR in a non-luxury neighborhood, a car payment, and some discretionary spending. For families, $110,000–130,000 covers a 3BR rental and modest savings. Buying a home meaningfully changes the math; median home prices are around $550,000 in 2026, requiring closer to $130,000+ household income to support a typical mortgage.
No. Texas does not levy a state income tax on wages, and Austin does not charge a city-level income tax either. This is one of Austin's biggest financial advantages. Property taxes in Austin are higher than the national average to make up some of the difference — typical effective rates run 1.8–2.2% of assessed value — so homeowners absorb more of the tax burden than renters.
Both are no-income-tax cities with strong job markets, but Austin has a deeper tech ecosystem and meaningfully higher salaries for engineering and product roles. Nashville (COL 114) is roughly 6% cheaper than Austin and has a more developed healthcare and music industry presence. For pure financial gain on a tech salary, Austin usually wins; for healthcare workers or musicians, Nashville often makes more sense.
Yes, particularly if you're keeping a coastal salary. Austin's tech infrastructure (internet, coworking spaces, professional networks) is genuinely strong, and the lack of state income tax means more of a remote salary lands in your pocket. The main quality-of-life issue is summer heat, which can make a year-round outdoor lifestyle harder than the brochures suggest.
The honest answer depends on your salary, your job category, and where you're coming from. Run the math.
Compare Cities Free