Houston vs Austin
Houston, TX · Austin, TX
Houston is 20% cheaper than Austin overall.
Home Price
Houston: $320,000
Austin: $500,000
Monthly Rent
Houston: $1,262/mo
Austin: $1,300/mo
COL Index
Houston: 101
Austin: 121
Median Income
Houston: $67,800
Austin: $83,800
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 Houston has the same purchasing power as $119,802 in Austin — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Austin are 56% cheaper (-$180,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Houston saves you $38/month — $456 per year. Median rent: $1,262/mo in Houston vs $1,300/mo in Austin.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Houston owners pay roughly $6,080/year in property taxes vs $9,000/year in Austin. That's a $2,920 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $67,800 in Houston and $83,800 in Austin. Houston residents earn 24% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 29 minutes in Houston vs 27 minutes in Austin. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Houston to Austin, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Houston | Equivalent in Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $59,901 | +$9,901 |
| $75,000 | $89,851 | +$14,851 |
| $100,000 | $119,802 | +$19,802 |
| $150,000 | $179,703 | +$29,703 |
| $200,000 | $239,604 | +$39,604 |
* 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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Houston Calculators
Austin Calculators
Related Comparisons
Houston vs Austin: Common Questions
Is Houston or Austin cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Houston is cheaper overall. Houston has a COL index of 101 while Austin scores 121 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Houston and Austin?
The median home price in Houston is $320,000 vs $500,000 in Austin — a difference of $180,000 (56%).
What salary do I need in Austin to match my Houston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Houston is equivalent to $119,802 in Austin in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Austin has a lower property tax rate (1.8% vs 1.9%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $6,080/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.