Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Indianapolis

Indiana

$1,150/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 $1,150 in Indianapolis, IN. Overall, Indianapolis, IN is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $62,995 in Indianapolis, IN — about 31% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Indianapolis, IN

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$933
+31% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$963
+34% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,132
+36% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,304
+39% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$207,000
+60% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$62,995
+31% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$49,340
+13% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
34.1 yr
+0.4 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
55.3%
+10.9 pp in Indianapolis, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
34.2%
+24.0 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
24.3 min
+0.3 min in Indianapolis, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
936.6
+97% in Indianapolis, IN
Property Crime
3,290.7
3,351.7
+2% in Indianapolis, IN

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
53.2°F
+14.0°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
42.4 in
+7.5 in in Indianapolis, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Indianapolis, IN

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.75
+40% in Indianapolis, IN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
18.1
+10% in Indianapolis, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$13.70
+55% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Indianapolis, IN
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Austin, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Indianapolis, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Indianapolis, IN
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Indianapolis, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / IN)
6.25%
7%
+0.8 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.95%
+3.0 pp in IN

Austin vs Indianapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Indianapolis?
Indianapolis, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,150 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Indianapolis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $39,000 in Indianapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Indianapolis?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Indianapolis under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).