Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Philadelphia?

Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,400 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Philadelphia?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Austin vs Philadelphia Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,400/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 $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 34% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,126

+16% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,189

+18% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,394

+22% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,406

+34% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$232,400

+55% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$60,698

+34% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$54,310

+5% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

35.1 yr

+0.6 yr in Philadelphia, PA

Homeownership

44.4%

52.3%

+7.9 pp in Philadelphia, PA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

34.6%

+23.6 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

32.0 min

+8.0 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

475.9

916.8

+93% in Philadelphia, PA

Property Crime

3,290.2

4,614.3

+40% in Philadelphia, PA

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

57.1°F

+10.1°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

48.5 in

+13.6 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$4.30/gal

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

$2.50

+100% in Philadelphia, PA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

20.9

+28% in Philadelphia, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$16.67

+32% in Austin, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.14

+1% in Austin, TX

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$1.92

+11% in Philadelphia, PA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Philadelphia, PA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$6.90

+5% in Philadelphia, PA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.02

+6% in Philadelphia, PA

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.68

+11% in Philadelphia, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / PA)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.07%

+3.1 pp in PA

Austin vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Philadelphia?: Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,400 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Philadelphia?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Philadelphia?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).