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 Clara | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,841/mo | 45.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,440,200 | 68.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $165,352 | 47.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 117.3 | 11.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 146.5 | 30.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 131.9 | 30.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 140.8 | 21.6% 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 $155,792 in Santa Clara to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 35.8% cheaper overall than Santa Clara, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% lower in Austin than in Santa Clara. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $124,634 in Santa Clara to keep the same standard of living.