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 | Tuscaloosa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $980/mo | 58.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $228,300 | 102.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $47,257 | 83.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 97.5 | 6.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 93.9 | 9.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 80.2 | 14.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 92.4 | 19.5% 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 $76,988 in Tuscaloosa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tuscaloosa, AL is about 23% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 37% lower in Tuscaloosa than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $61,590 in Tuscaloosa to keep the same standard of living.