Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Birmingham

Alabama

$1,190/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 $1,190 in Birmingham, AL. Overall, Birmingham, AL is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $44,376 in Birmingham, AL — about 51% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Birmingham, AL

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$857
+36% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,004
+31% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,005
+43% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,188
+44% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$138,600
+73% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$44,376
+51% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$47,770
+16% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
35.9 yr
+1.4 yr in Birmingham, AL
Homeownership
44.4%
45.1%
+0.7 pp in Birmingham, AL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
30.7%
+27.5 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
21.5 min
+2.5 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
1,274.7
+168% in Birmingham, AL
Property Crime
3,290.7
4,233
+29% in Birmingham, AL

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
63.3°F
+3.9°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
53.7 in
+18.8 in in Birmingham, AL

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
16.8
+2% in Birmingham, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$22.64
+26% 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 / AL)
6.25%
4%
+2.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.00%
+5.0 pp in AL

Austin vs Birmingham — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Birmingham?
Birmingham, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,190 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Birmingham?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $40,000 in Birmingham.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Birmingham?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Birmingham under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% 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).