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 | Independence | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,020/mo | 51.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $150,800 | 206.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $57,415 | 50.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 100.0 | 4.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 86.1 | 19.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 88.1 | 4.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 87.2 | 26.6% 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 $79,023 in Independence to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Independence, MO is about 21% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 34% lower in Independence than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $63,219 in Independence to keep the same standard of living.