Is Austin Expensive?

United States · North America · Currency: USD

64.8
COLI Index
#32
of 182 Cities
19.5%
Total Deductions
$1,800
1BR Rent/mo

About Austin

Austin has a cost of living index of 64.8, making it a moderate cost city compared to New York (baseline = 100). It ranks #32 out of 182 cities tracked globally.

The local currency is USD. A salary of $75,000 USD in New York would need to be approximately $48,600 in Austin to maintain the same purchasing power.

The approximate effective income tax rate in United States is 12% for a mid-range earner. Including social security and other mandatory deductions, the total deduction rate is approximately 19.5%.

Monthly Cost Breakdown in Austin

Estimated monthly expense allocation for a mid-range earner living in Austin. Housing costs are based on average one-bedroom rent in the city center ($1,800/month), with other categories adjusted for the local cost of living index.

Housing
45%
Food & Groceries
15%
Transportation
8%
Utilities
6%
Healthcare
4%
Other & Savings
22%

Estimates based on a mid-range salary adjusted for Austin's COLI of 64.8 and United States's total deduction rate of 19.5%. Individual expenses will vary.

Tax & Deductions Breakdown in Austin

Estimated annual deductions for a mid-range salary of $48,600 in Austin. This shows all mandatory payroll deductions as a local employee.

Income Tax
12%
Social Security + Medicare (FICA)
7.6%
Total Deductions: 19.5%
Est. Take-Home: $39,137/yr

Rates shown are for a local employee. Expat rates may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.

Salary Ranges by Job Title in Austin (2026)

Estimated annual salaries in Austin (USD) adjusted for cost of living. These figures represent local purchasing-power-adjusted ranges based on global baseline data.

Job Title Entry Level Mid Level Senior Level
Doctor (General) $51,840 $116,640 $226,800
Surgeon $77,760 $181,440 $324,000
Dentist $45,360 $103,680 $194,400
Pharmacist $38,880 $81,000 $129,600
Nurse $19,440 $37,584 $64,800
Psychologist $29,160 $55,080 $97,200
Software Engineer $29,160 $55,080 $116,640
DevOps Engineer $32,400 $61,560 $113,400
Data Scientist $32,400 $61,560 $110,160
Mechanical Engineer $25,920 $50,544 $90,720
Civil Engineer $24,624 $46,656 $87,480
Electrical Engineer $27,216 $51,840 $93,960
Architect $24,624 $46,656 $84,240
UX Designer $25,920 $48,600 $90,720
Product Manager $35,640 $64,800 $123,120
Project Manager $29,160 $51,840 $97,200
Financial Analyst $27,216 $50,544 $93,960
Accountant $22,680 $40,176 $71,280
Business Analyst $27,216 $48,600 $90,720
Consultant $29,160 $58,320 $116,640
Investment Banker $51,840 $97,200 $226,800
Actuary $38,880 $71,280 $129,600
Lawyer $32,400 $64,800 $142,560
Paralegal $19,440 $33,696 $55,080
Marketing Manager $24,624 $46,656 $87,480
Sales Manager $25,920 $51,840 $103,680
Graphic Designer $19,440 $35,640 $64,800
Content Writer $16,200 $32,400 $58,320
HR Manager $24,624 $45,360 $84,240
Operations Manager $29,160 $53,136 $97,200
CEO / Executive $64,800 $142,560 $324,000
Teacher $16,200 $31,104 $55,080
Professor $32,400 $61,560 $116,640
Research Scientist $29,160 $55,080 $100,440
Pilot $32,400 $77,760 $162,000
Chef $16,200 $32,400 $64,800
Journalist $16,200 $33,696 $61,560

Salary ranges are estimates adjusted by Austin's COLI (64.8) relative to the New York baseline (100). Actual salaries depend on experience, company, and industry.

How Much Do You Need to Earn in Austin?

Understanding your take-home pay is critical when evaluating a move to Austin. With total deductions of approximately 19.5% (income tax + social security) in United States and average one-bedroom rent of $1,800/month, here is what a mid-range salary looks like:

$48,600
Gross Annual (Mid-Range)
$3,260
Monthly Take-Home

After taxes, a mid-range earner in Austin takes home approximately $3,260 per month. With housing consuming roughly 45% of after-tax income, careful budgeting is essential in this moderate cost city. Your purchasing power in Austin is 154% of what it would be in New York for the same nominal salary.

Neighborhoods in Austin

23 neighborhoods tracked with cost multipliers relative to the city average. This neighborhood-level data helps you understand exactly how costs vary within Austin.

NeighborhoodMultipliervs City Avg
West Lake Hills 1.30x +30%
Downtown 1.25x +25%
Clarksville 1.25x +25%
Zilker 1.22x +22%
South Congress (SoCo) 1.18x +18%
Barton Hills 1.18x +18%
Bouldin Creek 1.15x +15%
Travis Heights 1.12x +12%
South Lamar 1.10x +10%
Hyde Park 1.08x +8%
Holly 1.08x +8%
East Austin 1.05x +5%
Mueller 1.02x +2%
Allandale 0.98x -2%
North Loop 0.95x -5%
Crestview 0.95x -5%
Riverside 0.88x -12%
St. Elmo 0.85x -15%
Windsor Park 0.82x -18%
Round Rock 0.80x -20%
Cedar Park 0.78x -22%
Govalle 0.78x -22%
Pflugerville 0.75x -25%

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Salary Comparison: Austin vs Other Cities

To maintain the same standard of living as $75,000 USD in Austin, here's what you'd need in other cities:

City COLI Equivalent Salary Difference
New York 100 $115,741 +35%
London 87.5 £76,260 +26%
Singapore 87.7 S$132,231 +26%
Dubai 72.4 AED 303,572 +10%
Berlin 51.2 €50,245 -21%
Tokyo 77.3 ¥13,859,392 +16%
Sydney 74.5 A$122,523 +13%
Toronto 62.3 C$97,626 -4%

Compare Austin With Other Cities

See detailed side-by-side comparisons of salaries, rent, taxes, and neighborhoods.

Austin vs Abu Dhabi Austin vs Amsterdam Austin vs Athens Austin vs Atlanta Austin vs Auckland Austin vs Bali (Denpasar) Austin vs Bangalore Austin vs Bangkok Austin vs Barcelona Austin vs Beijing Austin vs Berlin Austin vs Bogotá Austin vs Boston Austin vs Brussels Austin vs Bucharest Austin vs Budapest Austin vs Buenos Aires Austin vs Cairo Austin vs Cancún Austin vs Cape Town Austin vs Casablanca Austin vs Charlotte Austin vs Chennai Austin vs Chiang Mai Austin vs Chicago Austin vs Copenhagen Austin vs Dallas Austin vs Delhi Austin vs Denver Austin vs Doha Austin vs Dubai Austin vs Dublin Austin vs Edinburgh Austin vs Fukuoka Austin vs Geneva Austin vs Guangzhou Austin vs Hanoi Austin vs Helsinki Austin vs Ho Chi Minh City Austin vs Hong Kong Austin vs Houston Austin vs Istanbul Austin vs Jakarta Austin vs Krakow Austin vs Kuala Lumpur Austin vs Lagos Austin vs Las Vegas Austin vs Lima Austin vs Lisbon Austin vs London Austin vs Los Angeles Austin vs Luxembourg City Austin vs Madrid Austin vs Manila Austin vs Marrakech Austin vs Medellín Austin vs Melbourne Austin vs Mexico City Austin vs Miami Austin vs Milan Austin vs Minneapolis Austin vs Montevideo Austin vs Montreal Austin vs Mumbai Austin vs Munich Austin vs Málaga Austin vs Nairobi Austin vs Nashville Austin vs New York Austin vs Nice Austin vs Osaka Austin vs Oslo Austin vs Panama City Austin vs Paris Austin vs Perth Austin vs Philadelphia Austin vs Phnom Penh Austin vs Phoenix Austin vs Phuket Austin vs Playa del Carmen Austin vs Portland Austin vs Porto Austin vs Prague Austin vs Raleigh Austin vs Riga Austin vs Riyadh Austin vs Rome Austin vs San Diego Austin vs San Francisco Austin vs San José (CR) Austin vs Santiago Austin vs Seattle Austin vs Seoul Austin vs Shanghai Austin vs Shenzhen Austin vs Singapore Austin vs Split Austin vs Stockholm Austin vs Sydney Austin vs São Paulo Austin vs Taipei Austin vs Tallinn Austin vs Tampa Austin vs Tel Aviv Austin vs Tokyo Austin vs Toronto Austin vs Valencia Austin vs Vancouver Austin vs Vienna Austin vs Warsaw Austin vs Washington DC Austin vs Zurich

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living index for Austin?

The cost of living index (COLI) for Austin is 64.8, which ranks #32 out of 182 cities globally. New York is the baseline at 100.

How much salary do I need in Austin to match $75,000 in New York?

To maintain the same purchasing power as $75,000 USD in New York, you would need approximately $48,600 in Austin.

What is the average rent in Austin?

The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center of Austin is approximately $1,800 USD.

What are the total payroll deductions in United States?

The approximate effective income tax rate for a mid-range earner in United States is approximately 12%. Including social security and other mandatory contributions, total deductions are approximately 19.5%.

What are the cheapest neighborhoods in Austin?

The most affordable neighborhoods include Cedar Park, Govalle, Pflugerville.

What are the most expensive areas in Austin?

The most expensive neighborhoods are West Lake Hills, Downtown, Clarksville.

Data Sources & Methodology

Our cost of living index (COLI) uses New York City as the baseline (COLI = 100). Indices are derived from multiple sources including Numbeo, Expatistan, and national statistics agencies. Exchange rates are sourced from the European Central Bank.

Tax rates represent approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages data and do not constitute tax advice. Neighborhood cost multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data. Salary ranges are modeled by adjusting global baseline figures by each city's COLI.

Last updated: 2026-02-25. Data is refreshed periodically and may not reflect very recent changes. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.

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