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 | Newton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,252/mo | 31.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,136,200 | 59.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $176,373 | 50.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 103.9 | 1.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 102.1 | 10.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 112.9 | 2.2% 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 $123,898 in Newton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 19.3% cheaper overall than Newton, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 31% lower in Austin than in Newton. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $99,118 in Newton to keep the same standard of living.