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 | Austin | Carlsbad | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,477/mo | 37.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,070,500 | 56.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $134,139 | 35.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 113.9 | 8.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 141.0 | 27.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 124.8 | 26.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 131.3 | 15.9% 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 Austin, you'd need $141,451 in Carlsbad to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 29.3% cheaper overall than Carlsbad, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 37% lower in Austin than in Carlsbad. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $113,161 in Carlsbad to keep the same standard of living.