Cost of living in Austin — is your salary enough?
Austin rents rose over 30% between 2020 and 2023, erasing the cost advantage that drew migrants from coastal cities. Austin income levels grew with tech migration, but so did costs — the affordability advantage has largely been arbitraged away.
Rent in Austin
Other monthly costs
How different incomes stack up
At typical Austin costs ($1,900 rent)
See your personal verdict for Austin
Cost figures are estimates based on reported median rents and typical spending patterns. Savings benchmarks from BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2023. Figures in USD.
Frequently asked questions — Living in Austin
How much does it cost to live in Austin?+
Core monthly costs in Austin run about $3,700 — roughly $1,900 for rent and $1,800 for other living expenses (food, transport, utilities, basics). Austin rents rose over 30% between 2020 and 2023, erasing the cost advantage that drew migrants from coastal cities.
What is the median rent in Austin?+
The median rent in Austin is around $1,900 per month. Austin is classified as a high cost cost-of-living city in United States.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Austin?+
Using the 70%-rule (core costs ≤ 70% of gross), you need roughly $63,429 per year before tax to live comfortably in Austin. That leaves room to hit the 12% savings benchmark for United States.
Is Austin expensive compared to the rest of United States?+
Austin sits in the high cost tier within United States. Austin income levels grew with tech migration, but so did costs — the affordability advantage has largely been arbitraged away.
How much of your income should rent take in Austin?+
The standard rule is no more than 30% of gross income on rent. At $1,900/month in Austin, that means a gross income of at least $76,000 per year to stay under the 30% threshold.
Can you still save money living in Austin?+
Yes — the United States benchmark for mid-income earners is 12% of gross income. In a high cost city like Austin, hitting that rate is tighter but achievable with disciplined budgeting.
Also in the Verdict suite