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 | Arlington | Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,227/mo | $1,549/mo | 43.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $833,300 | $461,500 | 80.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $137,387 | $86,556 | 58.7% 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 Arlington, you'd need $85,406 in Austin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 14.6% cheaper overall than Arlington, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in Austin than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $68,325 in Austin to keep the same standard of living.