Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Cambridge

Massachusetts

$2,810/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 $2,810 in Cambridge, MA. Overall, Austin, TX is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $126,469 in Cambridge, MA — about 28% higher in Cambridge, MA. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Cambridge, MA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$2,236
+66% in Cambridge, MA
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$2,496
+71% in Cambridge, MA
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$2,980
+68% in Cambridge, MA
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$3,325
+56% in Cambridge, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$1,040,500
+103% in Cambridge, MA

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$126,469
+38% in Cambridge, MA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$66,620
+17% in Cambridge, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
30.5 yr
+4.0 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
33.7%
+10.7 pp in Austin, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
80.2%
+22.0 pp in Cambridge, MA
Avg Commute
24.0 min
26.1 min
+2.1 min in Cambridge, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
436.7
+8% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
2,657.6
+19% 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
51.5°F
+15.7°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
43.8 in
+8.9 in in Cambridge, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$4.07/gal
+14% in Cambridge, MA

Area: Texas vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
29.6
+86% in Cambridge, MA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$30.66
+4% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Cambridge, MA
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Cambridge, MA
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Austin, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Cambridge, MA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Cambridge, MA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Cambridge, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MA)
6.25%
6.25%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.00%
+9.0 pp in MA

Austin vs Cambridge — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Cambridge?
Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,660 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Cambridge?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $100,000 in Cambridge.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Cambridge?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Cambridge under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).