Median rent is 34% lower in Austin ($1,729/mo vs $2,625/mo). Buying is cheaper in Austin, where the median home runs $555,300 versus $971,200. Households earn more in Rancho Santa Margarita ($152,560 vs $93,658 a year).
City A
Austin, TX
City B
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
How much would you need to earn in Rancho Santa Margarita, 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
Rancho Santa Margarita
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 $2,625/mo in Rancho Santa Margarita, a 34% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Rancho Santa Margarita: the median home is $971,200 versus $555,300 in Austin — 43% more expensive.
Metric
Austin
Rancho Santa Margarita
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
Rancho Santa Margarita
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Austin (avg AQI 65.0) but not yet for Rancho Santa Margarita.
Pick Rancho Santa Margarita if you prioritize higher median household income ($152,560/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 $2,625/mo in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Austin, TX has the lower rent by about 34%.
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin, TX and $152,560 in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Rancho Santa Margarita, 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
