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 | Los Angeles | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,791/mo | 13.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $822,600 | 43.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $76,244 | 13.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 104.0 | 5.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 82.4 | 15.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 104.0 | 8.8% 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 $115,627 in Los Angeles to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 13.5% cheaper overall than Los Angeles, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 14% lower in Austin than in Los Angeles. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $92,502 in Los Angeles to keep the same standard of living.