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 | Topeka | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $926/mo | 67.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $124,700 | 270.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $54,052 | 60.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 98.7 | 5.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 84.6 | 21.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 85.7 | 7.0% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 84.1 | 31.3% higher 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 $75,071 in Topeka to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Topeka, KS is about 24.9% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 40% lower in Topeka than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $60,057 in Topeka to keep the same standard of living.