Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

vs
Los Angeles

California

$2,010/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 $2,010 in Los Angeles, CA. Overall, Austin, TX is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA — about 12% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Los Angeles, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$1,468
+9% in Los Angeles, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,688
+16% in Los Angeles, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$2,148
+21% in Los Angeles, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$2,489
+17% in Los Angeles, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$879,500
+72% in Los Angeles, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$80,366
+12% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$55,850
+2% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
36.9 yr
+2.4 yr in Los Angeles, CA
Homeownership
44.4%
36.3%
+8.1 pp in Austin, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
37.8%
+20.4 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
31.1 min
+7.1 min in Los Angeles, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
730.5
+53% in Los Angeles, CA
Property Crime
3,290.2
1,501.2
+54% 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
67.0°F
+0.2°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
21.2 in
+13.7 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$5.89/gal
+49% in Los Angeles, CA

Area: Texas vs Los Angeles.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.75
+40% in Los Angeles, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
33.4
+103% in Los Angeles, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$20.72
+16% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CA)
6.25%
7.25%
+1.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Austin vs Los Angeles — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Los Angeles?
Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,650 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Los Angeles, CA's $2,010, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Los Angeles?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $68,000 in Los Angeles.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Los Angeles?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Los Angeles under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).