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 | Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $1,817/mo | 14.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $705,000 | 34.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $101,722 | 14.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 101.9 | 2.2% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 87.6 | 17.1% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 90.0 | 1.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 92.8 | 19.0% 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 $104,601 in Washington to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Austin, TX is about 4.4% cheaper overall than Washington, DC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 15% lower in Austin than in Washington. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $83,681 in Washington to keep the same standard of living.