Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

vs
San Francisco

California

$2,750/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 $2,750 in San Francisco, CA. Overall, Austin, TX is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Francisco, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $141,446 in San Francisco, CA — about 35% higher in San Francisco, CA. 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
San Francisco, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$1,560
+16% in San Francisco, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$2,425
+66% in San Francisco, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$2,982
+68% in San Francisco, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$3,269
+54% in San Francisco, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$1,380,500
+169% in San Francisco, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$141,446
+55% in San Francisco, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$74,260
+30% in San Francisco, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
39.7 yr
+5.2 yr in San Francisco, CA
Homeownership
44.4%
38.5%
+5.9 pp in Austin, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
60.1%
+1.9 pp in San Francisco, CA
Avg Commute
24.0 min
31.2 min
+7.2 min in San Francisco, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
475.9
596.5
+25% in San Francisco, CA
Property Crime
3,290.2
3,962.2
+20% in San Francisco, CA

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
57.3°F
+9.9°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
23.6 in
+11.2 in in Austin, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$6.05/gal
+53% in San Francisco, CA

Area: Texas vs San Francisco.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.50
+100% in San Francisco, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
33.4
+103% in San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in San Francisco, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in San Francisco, CA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in San Francisco, CA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in San Francisco, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in San Francisco, 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 San Francisco — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or San Francisco?
Austin, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,650 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below San Francisco, CA's $2,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in San Francisco?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $97,000 in San Francisco.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or San Francisco?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); San Francisco 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).