Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,010/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,010 in Baton Rouge, LA. Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 39% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA — about 45% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Baton Rouge, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$881
+35% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$854
+41% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,075
+39% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,241
+42% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$224,500
+56% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$49,944
+45% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$48,710
+14% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
31.8 yr
+2.7 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
46.9%
+2.5 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
35.8%
+22.4 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
21.1 min
+2.9 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
305
+36% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
1,756.3
+47% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
68.5°F
+1.3°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
60.6 in
+25.8 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.2
+14% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$16.62
+45% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / LA)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Austin vs Baton Rouge — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Baton Rouge?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $34,000 in Baton Rouge.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Baton Rouge?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Baton Rouge under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).