Cost of Living: Houston, TX vs Austin, TX
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Houston, TX versus $4,516/mo in Austin, TX. In the model, rent is about 19.13% of gross in Houston, TX versus 24.12% in Austin, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Houston, TX and Austin, TX.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Houston, TX
- Lower home prices: Houston, TX
- Higher median household income: Austin, TX
Cost of Living Index
Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100) · Austin, TX: 112.7 (U.S. = 100)
Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Austin, TX, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Houston, TX: $1,248/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Austin, TX: $1,573/mo
Median rent in Austin, TX is $325/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Houston, TX: $253,400 · Austin, TX: $512,700
Median home price in Austin, TX is $259,300 higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Household Income
Houston, TX: $62,894 · Austin, TX: $91,461
Austin, TX has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $28,567.
Houston, TX overview · Austin, TX overview · Popular comparisons