Austin vs Charlotte
Austin, TX · Charlotte, NC
Charlotte is 14% cheaper than Austin overall.
Home Price
Austin: $500,000
Charlotte: $365,000
Monthly Rent
Austin: $1,300/mo
Charlotte: $1,595/mo
COL Index
Austin: 121
Charlotte: 104
Median Income
Austin: $83,800
Charlotte: $68,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Austin has the same purchasing power as $85,950 in Charlotte — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Charlotte cost 27% more (-$135,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Austin saves you $295/month — $3,540 per year. Median rent: $1,300/mo in Austin vs $1,595/mo in Charlotte.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Austin owners pay roughly $9,000/year in property taxes vs $2,884/year in Charlotte. That's a $6,117 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $83,800 in Austin and $68,600 in Charlotte. Charlotte residents earn 18% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 27 minutes in Austin vs 27 minutes in Charlotte. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Austin to Charlotte, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Austin | Equivalent in Charlotte | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,975 | -$7,025 |
| $75,000 | $64,463 | -$10,537 |
| $100,000 | $85,950 | -$14,050 |
| $150,000 | $128,926 | -$21,074 |
| $200,000 | $171,901 | -$28,099 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Austin Calculators
Charlotte Calculators
Related Comparisons
Austin vs Charlotte: Common Questions
Is Austin or Charlotte cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Charlotte is cheaper overall. Austin has a COL index of 121 while Charlotte scores 104 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Austin and Charlotte?
The median home price in Austin is $500,000 vs $365,000 in Charlotte — a difference of $135,000 (27%).
What salary do I need in Charlotte to match my Austin income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Austin is equivalent to $85,950 in Charlotte in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Charlotte has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,884/year vs $9,000/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.