Cost of Living: Austin, TX vs Salem, OR

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Austin, TX versus $3,939/mo in Salem, OR. In the model, rent is about 24.12% of gross in Austin, TX versus 19.29% in Salem, OR, so Salem, OR tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Austin, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Salem, OR
$3,939/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Austin, TX
24.12%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, OR
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Austin, TX and Salem, OR.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Salem, OR
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Salem, OR
  • Lower home prices: Salem, OR
  • Higher median household income: Austin, TX

Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX: 112.7 (U.S. = 100) · Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100)

Salem, OR has a lower cost-of-living index than Austin, TX, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Austin, TX: $1,573/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Salem, OR: $1,257/mo

Median rent in Austin, TX is $316/mo higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Home Price

Austin, TX: $512,700 · Salem, OR: $382,400

Median home price in Austin, TX is $130,300 higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Household Income

Austin, TX: $91,461 · Salem, OR: $71,900

Austin, TX has a higher median household income than Salem, OR by $19,561.

Austin, TX overview · Salem, OR overview · Popular comparisons