Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/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 $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 47% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$756
+44% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$843
+42% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$978
+45% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,136
+47% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$178,100
+65% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$48,465
+47% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$44,820
+21% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
37.5 yr
+3.0 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
44.4%
53.8%
+9.4 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
27.5%
+30.7 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
19.0 min
+5.0 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
1,235.4
+159% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
3,290.7
4,048.2
+23% in Shreveport, LA

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
65.5°F
+1.7°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
51.0 in
+16.1 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.2
+14% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$16.62
+45% 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 / LA)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.00%
+3.0 pp in LA

Austin vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Shreveport?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 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).