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 | Columbia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,895/mo | 18.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $458,700 | 0.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $124,537 | 30.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 108.2 | 3.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 107.9 | 4.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 98.6 | 7.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 121.3 | 9.0% 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 Austin, you'd need $114,003 in Columbia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 12.3% cheaper overall than Columbia, MD, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% lower in Austin than in Columbia. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $91,202 in Columbia to keep the same standard of living.