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 | Oakland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,849/mo | 16.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $883,800 | 47.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $94,389 | 8.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 58.2 | 69.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 62.4 | 52.0% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 59.8 | 68.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 38.9 | 143.5% 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 $119,368 in Oakland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 16.2% cheaper overall than Oakland, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 16% lower in Austin than in Oakland. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $95,494 in Oakland to keep the same standard of living.