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 | Somerville | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,357/mo | 34.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $860,500 | 46.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $120,778 | 28.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 105.7 | 1.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 105.3 | 2.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 104.0 | 11.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 115.6 | 4.5% 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 $128,024 in Somerville to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 21.9% cheaper overall than Somerville, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 34% lower in Austin than in Somerville. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $102,419 in Somerville to keep the same standard of living.