Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

vs
Oklahoma City

Oklahoma

$1,030/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 $1,030 in Oklahoma City, OK. Overall, Oklahoma City, OK is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $66,702 in Oklahoma City, OK — about 27% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oklahoma has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Oklahoma City, OK

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$795
+41% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$882
+39% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,085
+39% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,356
+36% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$215,100
+58% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$66,702
+27% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$47,230
+17% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
35.0 yr
+0.5 yr in Oklahoma City, OK
Homeownership
44.4%
59.1%
+14.7 pp in Oklahoma City, OK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
34.0%
+24.2 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
22.2 min
+1.8 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
685.6
+44% in Oklahoma City, OK
Property Crime
3,290.2
2,928.9
+11% 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
61.5°F
+5.7°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
36.5 in
+1.6 in in Oklahoma City, OK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.35/gal
+10% in Oklahoma City, OK

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.75
+40% in Oklahoma City, OK

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
13.6
+17% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$15.95
+35% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / OK)
6.25%
4.5%
+1.8 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in OK

Austin vs Oklahoma City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Oklahoma City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $35,000 in Oklahoma City.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Oklahoma City?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Oklahoma City under Oklahoma's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% 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).