Austin vs Phoenix
Austin, TX · Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix is 12% cheaper than Austin overall.
Home Price
Austin: $500,000
Phoenix: $420,000
Monthly Rent
Austin: $1,300/mo
Phoenix: $1,150/mo
COL Index
Austin: 121
Phoenix: 106
Median Income
Austin: $83,800
Phoenix: $67,600
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 $87,603 in Phoenix — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Phoenix cost 16% more (-$80,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Phoenix saves you $150/month — $1,800 per year. Median rent: $1,300/mo in Austin vs $1,150/mo in Phoenix.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Austin owners pay roughly $9,000/year in property taxes vs $2,604/year in Phoenix. That's a $6,396 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $83,800 in Austin and $67,600 in Phoenix. Phoenix residents earn 19% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 27 minutes in Austin vs 26 minutes in Phoenix. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Austin to Phoenix, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Austin | Equivalent in Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $43,802 | -$6,198 |
| $75,000 | $65,702 | -$9,298 |
| $100,000 | $87,603 | -$12,397 |
| $150,000 | $131,405 | -$18,595 |
| $200,000 | $175,207 | -$24,793 |
* 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
Phoenix Calculators
Related Comparisons
Austin vs Phoenix: Common Questions
Is Austin or Phoenix cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Phoenix is cheaper overall. Austin has a COL index of 121 while Phoenix scores 106 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Austin and Phoenix?
The median home price in Austin is $500,000 vs $420,000 in Phoenix — a difference of $80,000 (16%).
What salary do I need in Phoenix to match my Austin income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Austin is equivalent to $87,603 in Phoenix in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Phoenix has a lower property tax rate (0.62% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,604/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.