Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

vs
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,470 in Colorado Springs, CO. Overall, Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO — about 9% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Colorado Springs, CO

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$998
+26% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,305
+10% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,504
+15% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,881
+12% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$420,700
+18% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$83,198
+9% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$52,710
+7% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
35.6 yr
+1.1 yr in Colorado Springs, CO
Homeownership
44.4%
61.3%
+16.9 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
41.9%
+16.3 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
22.8 min
+1.2 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
721.1
+52% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,290.2
3,487.9
+6% in Colorado Springs, CO

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
49.0°F
+18.2°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
16.5 in
+18.4 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.54/gal
+15% in Colorado Springs, CO

Area: Texas vs Colorado.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.75
+40% in Colorado Springs, CO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
16.7
+2% in Colorado Springs, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$11.64
+53% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.37
+5% in Colorado Springs, CO
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in Colorado Springs, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in Colorado Springs, CO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in Colorado Springs, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in Colorado Springs, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CO)
6.25%
2.9%
+3.4 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.40%
+4.4 pp in CO

Austin vs Colorado Springs — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,470 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Colorado Springs?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $52,000 in Colorado Springs.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Colorado Springs?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Colorado Springs under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).