Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Eugene?

Eugene, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,260 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Eugene?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $43,000 in Eugene.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Eugene?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Eugene under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Austin vs Eugene Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Eugene

Oregon

$1,260/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 $1,260 in Eugene, OR. Overall, Eugene, OR is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $63,836 in Eugene, OR — about 30% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Eugene, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,011

+25% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,080

+26% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,411

+21% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,674

+21% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$435,400

+15% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$63,836

+30% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$49,680

+13% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

35.4 yr

+0.9 yr in Eugene, OR

Homeownership

44.4%

47.6%

+3.2 pp in Eugene, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

44.2%

+14.0 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

18.6 min

+5.4 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

319.6

+33% in Austin, TX

Property Crime

3,290.7

3,348.9

+2% in Eugene, OR

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

52.5°F

+14.7°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

46.1 in

+11.2 in in Eugene, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.09/gal

+41% in Eugene, OR

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

16.3

+1% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$20.59

+32% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Eugene, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Eugene, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Eugene, OR

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Eugene, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Eugene, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / OR)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Austin vs Eugene — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Eugene?: Eugene, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,260 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Eugene?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $43,000 in Eugene.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Eugene?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Eugene under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).