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 | Carmel | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,499/mo | 3.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $425,900 | 8.4% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $132,859 | 34.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 106.8 | 2.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 94.0 | 9.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 100.1 | 8.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 103.2 | 7.0% higher 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 $99,188 in Carmel to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Carmel, IN is about 0.8% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in Carmel than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $79,350 in Carmel to keep the same standard of living.