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 Monica | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,227/mo | 30.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $1,654,800 | 72.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $106,797 | 19.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 111.6 | 6.6% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 137.2 | 25.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 120.0 | 23.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 124.8 | 11.5% 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 $131,602 in Santa Monica to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 24% cheaper overall than Santa Monica, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in Austin than in Santa Monica. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $105,282 in Santa Monica to keep the same standard of living.