Median rent is 7% lower in Austin ($1,655/mo vs $1,783/mo). Buying is cheaper in Austin, where the median home runs $512,700 versus $834,100. Households earn more in Austin ($91,461 vs $85,428 a year).
City A
Austin, TX
City B
Urban Honolulu, HI
How much would you need to earn in Urban Honolulu, HI 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 city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Austin
Texas
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
👥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: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Austin at $1,655/mo compared to $1,783/mo in Urban Honolulu (7% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Urban Honolulu: the median home is $834,100 versus $512,700 in Austin — 39% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
Texas has no state income tax, while Hawaii tops out at 11.00% — giving Austin a clear advantage for high earners. Sales tax is 6.25% in Texas and 4.00% in Hawaii; Urban Honolulu has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
Austin
Income tax: None
Sales tax: 6.25%
Urban Honolulu
Income tax: 11.00%
Sales tax: 4.00%
Urban Honolulu has cleaner air on average: 34.0 AQI (Good) compared to 47.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Austin if you prioritize higher median household income ($91,461/yr).
Pick Urban Honolulu if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 34.0).
Pick Austin if you prioritize no state income tax.
Is Austin cheaper than Urban Honolulu?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Austin vs Urban Honolulu?
Median rent is $1,655/mo in Austin, TX and $1,783/mo in Urban Honolulu, HI. Austin, TX has the lower rent by about 7%.
Which has higher salaries — Austin or Urban Honolulu?
Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $85,428 in Urban Honolulu, HI. Austin, TX has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Urban Honolulu, HI has better air quality on average: 34.0 AQI versus 47.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Austin or Urban Honolulu?
Texas has no state income tax. Hawaii has a top rate of 11.00%.
What salary do I need in Urban Honolulu to match my Austin income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology