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 Mateo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,971/mo | 47.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,508,900 | 69.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $149,152 | 42.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 118.6 | 12.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 148.5 | 30.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 134.4 | 31.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 144.2 | 23.4% 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 $160,922 in San Mateo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 37.9% cheaper overall than San Mateo, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 48% lower in Austin than in San Mateo. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $128,738 in San Mateo to keep the same standard of living.