Median rent is 50% lower in Austin ($1,729/mo vs $3,484/mo). Buying is cheaper in Austin, where the median home runs $555,300 versus $2,000,000. Households earn more in Palo Alto ($231,101 vs $93,658 a year).
City A
Austin, TX
City B
Palo Alto, CA
How much would you need to earn in Palo Alto, CA to maintain your standard of living from Austin, TX?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Austin
Texas
Palo Alto
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Austin — median rent of $1,729/mo versus $3,484/mo in Palo Alto, a 50% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Palo Alto: the median home is $2,000,000 versus $555,300 in Austin — 72% more expensive.
Metric
Austin
Palo Alto
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Austin
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Palo Alto
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Austin (avg AQI 65.0) but not yet for Palo Alto.
Pick Palo Alto if you prioritize higher median household income ($231,101/yr).
Pick Austin if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,729/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,729/mo in Austin, TX and $3,484/mo in Palo Alto, CA. Austin, TX has the lower rent by about 50%.
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin, TX and $231,101 in Palo Alto, CA. Palo Alto, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
