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 | Elgin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,190/mo | 30.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $242,500 | 90.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $85,998 | 0.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 96.3 | 2.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 91.7 | 3.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 96.9 | 3.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 99.1 | 4.4% 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 $76,825 in Elgin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elgin, IL is about 23.2% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in Elgin than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $61,460 in Elgin to keep the same standard of living.