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 | Vista | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $2,002/mo | 22.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $622,900 | 25.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $88,715 | 2.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 109.5 | 4.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 133.8 | 23.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 115.7 | 20.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 118.9 | 7.2% 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 $122,738 in Vista to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 18.5% cheaper overall than Vista, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in Austin than in Vista. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $98,191 in Vista to keep the same standard of living.