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 | Santa Ana | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,885/mo | 17.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $624,000 | 26.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $84,210 | 2.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 108.4 | 3.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 132.0 | 22.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 113.4 | 19.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 115.9 | 4.7% 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 $118,129 in Santa Ana to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 15.3% cheaper overall than Santa Ana, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% lower in Austin than in Santa Ana. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $94,503 in Santa Ana to keep the same standard of living.