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 | Hilo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,228/mo | 26.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $417,600 | 10.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $75,589 | 14.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 95.2 | 104.1 | 8.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 85.9 | 125.1 | 31.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 97.5 | 104.6 | 6.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 95.8 | 104.1 | 8.0% 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 $91,532 in Hilo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Hilo, HI is about 8.5% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 20% lower in Hilo than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $73,226 in Hilo to keep the same standard of living.