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 | Waco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,038/mo | 49.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $174,100 | 165.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $47,421 | 82.5% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 98.2 | 6.1% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 94.8 | 8.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 81.4 | 12.6% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 94.2 | 17.2% 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 $79,334 in Waco to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waco, TX is about 20.7% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% lower in Waco than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $63,467 in Waco to keep the same standard of living.