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 | Costa Mesa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,268/mo | 31.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $959,800 | 51.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $104,981 | 17.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 112.0 | 7.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 137.8 | 25.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 120.8 | 24.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 125.9 | 12.3% 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 $133,218 in Costa Mesa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 24.9% cheaper overall than Costa Mesa, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 32% lower in Austin than in Costa Mesa. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $106,574 in Costa Mesa to keep the same standard of living.