City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Alexandria | Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,983/mo | $1,549/mo | 28.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $655,700 | $461,500 | 42.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $113,179 | $86,556 | 30.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.9 | 104.2 | 2.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 87.6 | 102.6 | 14.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 90.0 | 91.7 | 1.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.8 | 110.4 | 16.0% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Alexandria, you'd need $91,193 in Austin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 8.8% cheaper overall than Alexandria, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% lower in Austin than in Alexandria. If you earn $80,000 in Alexandria, you'd need about $72,954 in Austin to keep the same standard of living.