Moving from Los Angeles to Austin
A typical worker keeps $18,198 more a year in Austin than in Los Angeles, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical Los Angeles salary of $55,850, you'd need about $34,300 in Austin.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps $18,198 more a year in Austin than in Los Angeles.
- Typical salary
- $55,850
- Federal income tax
- −$4,522
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,999
- State income tax
- −$1,400
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$30,696
- Everyday costs
- −$20,674
a year ($537 a month)
- Typical salary
- $56,950
- Federal income tax
- −$4,654
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,357
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$19,608
- Everyday costs
- −$16,574
a year, or $980 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| Los Angeles | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)13.6% cheaper | 113.6 | 98.1 |
| Rent, studio$745 less | $2,291 | $1,546 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$924 less | $2,558 | $1,634 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$1,216 less | $3,156 | $1,940 |
| Food$63 less | $526 | $463 |
| Transportation$50 less | $416 | $366 |
| Healthcare$28 less | $367 | $339 |
| Utilities$199 less | $413 | $214 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$1,266 less | $4,281 | $3,015 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | Los Angeles | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$18,198 more | $55,850 | $56,950 |
| Registered nurse$899 less | $135,560 | $97,890 |
| Teacher$6,502 less | $101,040 | $61,682 |
| Electrician$8,788 more | $73,810 | $60,390 |
| Accountant$13,053 more | $94,360 | $83,120 |
| Software engineer$9,698 more | $160,920 | $134,120 |
| Truck driver$15,047 more | $60,340 | $57,110 |
| Nursing assistant$9,602 more | $47,380 | $38,550 |
| Medical assistant$15,166 more | $47,760 | $45,820 |
| Lawyer$2,873 more | $194,410 | $153,330 |
| Project manager$18,274 more | $108,310 | $102,390 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $55,850 (a typical Los Angeles wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| Los Angeles | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $4,522 | $4,522 |
| Payroll taxes$726 less | $4,999 | $4,273 |
| State income tax$1,400 less | $1,400 | $0 |
| Local income taxNo change | $0 | $0 |
| Total$2,126 less | $10,921 | $8,795 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| Los Angeles | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$8,167 more | $82,263 | $90,430 |
| Median home value$376,900 less | $947,900 | $571,000 |
| Unemployment rate2.5 pts lower | 6.7% | 4.3% |
| Working from home8.7 pts higher | 16% | 24.8% |
Moving to Austin
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Austin than Los Angeles?
Yes: prices in the Austin area are 2% below the US average, against 14% above the US average in the Los Angeles area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,634 a month in Austin and $2,558 in Los Angeles.
How much more is rent in Los Angeles?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $924 a month (56.5%) higher in Los Angeles: $1,634 in Austin against $2,558 in Los Angeles.
How much do I need to earn in Austin to keep the same as in Los Angeles?
A typical worker in Los Angeles earns $55,850. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $34,300 in Austin.
Will I pay more tax in Austin?
Texas has no state income tax on wages, and California taxes wages. On a typical Los Angeles salary of $55,850, total income and payroll taxes come to $8,795 in Austin and $10,921 in Los Angeles.
Do people keep more money in Austin or Los Angeles?
A typical worker keeps $18,198 more a year in Austin than in Los Angeles: $11,757 in Austin against −$6,441 in Los Angeles, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate