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 | San Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,526/mo | 38.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,149,600 | 59.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $136,010 | 36.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 104.1 | 5.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 125.1 | 24.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 104.6 | 3.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 104.1 | 9.0% 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 $163,073 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 38.7% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 39% lower in Austin than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $130,458 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.