Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Hartford?

Hartford, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $42,000 in Hartford.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Hartford?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Austin vs Hartford Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Hartford, CT. Overall, Hartford, CT is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $45,300 in Hartford, CT — about 50% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Hartford, CT

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$973

+28% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,042

+28% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,296

+27% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,433

+33% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$217,200

+58% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$45,300

+50% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$59,940

+5% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

33.4 yr

+1.1 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

25.7%

+18.7 pp in Austin, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

18.3%

+39.9 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

22.8 min

+1.2 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

527.5

+11% in Hartford, CT

Property Crime

3,290.7

2,949.2

+10% 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

51.2°F

+16.0°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

43.6 in

+8.7 in in Hartford, CT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$3.94/gal

+10% in Hartford, CT

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

24.3

+53% in Hartford, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$23.33

+27% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Hartford, CT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Hartford, CT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Hartford, CT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Hartford, CT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Hartford, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CT)

6.25%

6.35%

+0.1 pp in CT

Income Tax (top rate)

None

6.99%

+7.0 pp in CT

Austin vs Hartford — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Hartford?: Hartford, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Hartford?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $42,000 in Hartford.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Hartford?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).