Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Newark

Delaware

$1,620/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 $1,620 in Newark, DE. Overall, Newark, DE is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $71,373 in Newark, DE — about 22% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Newark, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$1,649
+22% in Newark, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,391
+5% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,513
+15% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,916
+10% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$357,600
+30% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$71,373
+22% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$54,310
+5% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
22.0 yr
+12.5 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
50.3%
+5.9 pp in Newark, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
57.5%
+0.7 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
19.6 min
+4.4 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
326.3
+31% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
2,024.6
+38% 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
54.9°F
+12.3°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
43.1 in
+8.2 in in Newark, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in Newark, DE

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
19.3
+21% in Newark, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$29.73
+7% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / DE)
6.25%
None
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Austin vs Newark — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Newark?
Newark, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Newark?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $56,000 in Newark.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Newark?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Newark under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% 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).