Austin, TX vs Seattle, WA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Seattle, WA is 13.3% more expensive than Austin, TX (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Austin works out to about $85,000 in Seattle, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 10.9% higher and other services 11.0% higher in Seattle, while housing is 25.7% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $2,250 a month in Seattle and $1,603 in Austin, $7,764 a year more in Seattle (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $720,000 in Seattle and $414,000 in Austin.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (13.2%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Austin and Seattle
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
All items Austin, TX: 98.1 Seattle, WA: 111.1
Goods Austin, TX: 93.8 Seattle, WA: 104.0
Housing (rents) Austin, TX: 120.4 Seattle, WA: 151.3
Utilities Austin, TX: 82.0 Seattle, WA: 92.8
Other services Austin, TX: 96.2 Seattle, WA: 106.8
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.1 | 111.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 104.0 |
| Housing (rents) | 120.4 | 151.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 106.8 |
| Category | Austin | Seattle | Seattle vs Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.1 | 111.1 | +13.3% |
| Goods | 93.8 | 104.0 | +10.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 120.4 | 151.3 | +25.7% |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 92.8 | +13.1% |
| Other services | 96.2 | 106.8 | +11.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,603 | $2,250 | +40.4% |
| Typical home value | $414,000 | $720,000 | +73.8% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Austin | $75,000 | $85,000 | +13.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Austin and Seattle has widened since 2008: 9.5 points then, 13.1 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
US average = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.6 | 109.1 |
| 2009 | 98.9 | 108.5 |
| 2010 | 99.8 | 106.4 |
| 2011 | 100.3 | 106.1 |
| 2012 | 100.9 | 105.3 |
| 2013 | 100.8 | 105.2 |
| 2014 | 101.4 | 107.5 |
| 2015 | 101.6 | 107.9 |
| 2016 | 102.6 | 110.2 |
| 2017 | 101.8 | 112.1 |
| 2018 | 99.0 | 110.5 |
| 2019 | 99.4 | 112.5 |
| 2020 | 101.1 | 113.0 |
| 2021 | 100.0 | 114.5 |
| 2022 | 98.8 | 114.0 |
| 2023 | 98.3 | 112.7 |
| 2024 | 98.1 | 111.1 |
Goods
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.1 | 108.3 |
| 2009 | 95.2 | 106.6 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| 2011 | 96.9 | 106.1 |
| 2012 | 97.3 | 101.1 |
| 2013 | 97.3 | 102.8 |
| 2014 | 97.6 | 104.6 |
| 2015 | 97.0 | 105.8 |
| 2016 | 97.2 | 104.4 |
| 2017 | 97.1 | 108.4 |
| 2018 | 94.4 | 105.2 |
| 2019 | 96.2 | 107.5 |
| 2020 | 96.2 | 111.9 |
| 2021 | 96.2 | 115.5 |
| 2022 | 93.7 | 116.4 |
| 2023 | 92.9 | 108.1 |
| 2024 | 93.8 | 104.0 |
Housing (rents)
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 110.0 | 139.2 |
| 2009 | 111.7 | 137.6 |
| 2010 | 108.1 | 136.3 |
| 2011 | 110.3 | 136.6 |
| 2012 | 115.2 | 134.2 |
| 2013 | 114.7 | 135.1 |
| 2014 | 117.7 | 140.4 |
| 2015 | 119.2 | 144.0 |
| 2016 | 122.7 | 149.2 |
| 2017 | 124.9 | 156.7 |
| 2018 | 121.9 | 159.2 |
| 2019 | 121.5 | 161.6 |
| 2020 | 124.5 | 156.6 |
| 2021 | 122.5 | 153.0 |
| 2022 | 126.3 | 154.7 |
| 2023 | 126.4 | 151.6 |
| 2024 | 120.4 | 151.3 |
Utilities
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.7 | 85.1 |
| 2009 | 94.4 | 87.0 |
| 2010 | 95.0 | 87.4 |
| 2011 | 90.2 | 90.1 |
| 2012 | 88.5 | 93.9 |
| 2013 | 89.9 | 99.8 |
| 2014 | 93.3 | 97.1 |
| 2015 | 90.8 | 103.7 |
| 2016 | 86.8 | 99.4 |
| 2017 | 82.7 | 100.0 |
| 2018 | 84.1 | 102.8 |
| 2019 | 85.7 | 106.3 |
| 2020 | 85.8 | 105.6 |
| 2021 | 85.8 | 94.3 |
| 2022 | 87.4 | 87.0 |
| 2023 | 89.2 | 85.3 |
| 2024 | 82.0 | 92.8 |
Other services
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.5 | 103.6 |
| 2009 | 98.1 | 103.3 |
| 2010 | 100.0 | 100.7 |
| 2011 | 100.8 | 99.6 |
| 2012 | 100.7 | 101.7 |
| 2013 | 100.3 | 100.0 |
| 2014 | 100.3 | 102.2 |
| 2015 | 101.0 | 101.4 |
| 2016 | 102.3 | 105.2 |
| 2017 | 100.5 | 105.0 |
| 2018 | 97.7 | 103.4 |
| 2019 | 96.9 | 104.9 |
| 2020 | 99.3 | 103.1 |
| 2021 | 98.1 | 105.8 |
| 2022 | 96.7 | 104.9 |
| 2023 | 95.8 | 107.6 |
| 2024 | 96.2 | 106.8 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $2,250 in Seattle vs $1,603 in Austin
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $1,179 | $1,347 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $1,204 | $1,384 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $1,215 | $1,415 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $1,212 | $1,407 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $1,223 | $1,443 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $1,251 | $1,503 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $1,249 | $1,519 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $1,236 | $1,507 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $1,266 | $1,561 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $1,285 | $1,618 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $1,277 | $1,632 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $1,270 | $1,604 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $1,286 | $1,633 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $1,312 | $1,681 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $1,322 | $1,681 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $1,327 | $1,664 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $1,348 | $1,696 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $1,370 | $1,742 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $1,386 | $1,753 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $1,381 | $1,743 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $1,401 | $1,785 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $1,383 | $1,775 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $1,383 | $1,761 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,374 | $1,684 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $1,425 | $1,722 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,533 | $1,830 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,660 | $1,936 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,671 | $1,933 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,705 | $1,979 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,774 | $2,065 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,788 | $2,089 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,730 | $2,020 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,744 | $2,046 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,748 | $2,084 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,717 | $2,098 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,683 | $2,061 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,671 | $2,101 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,682 | $2,153 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,650 | $2,159 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,610 | $2,128 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,617 | $2,165 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,626 | $2,209 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,592 | $2,210 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,563 | $2,183 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,577 | $2,198 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,598 | $2,238 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,603 | $2,250 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $720,000 in Seattle vs $414,000 in Austin
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Austin, TX
- Seattle, WA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Austin, TX | Seattle, WA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $258K | $336K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $263K | $344K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $268K | $352K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $274K | $365K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $279K | $379K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $284K | $389K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $287K | $396K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $291K | $407K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $295K | $423K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $298K | $438K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $299K | $449K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $303K | $460K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $306K | $479K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $308K | $495K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $310K | $501K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $313K | $498K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $314K | $498K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $316K | $501K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $319K | $501K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $325K | $508K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $333K | $521K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $337K | $532K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $346K | $542K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $365K | $571K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $394K | $600K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $454K | $640K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $483K | $656K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $494K | $668K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $530K | $721K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $565K | $763K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $545K | $728K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $516K | $706K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $494K | $690K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $486K | $691K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $482K | $705K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $473K | $712K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $468K | $720K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $465K | $734K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $460K | $738K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $457K | $749K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $450K | $751K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $440K | $736K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $433K | $732K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $429K | $739K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $423K | $737K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $415K | $723K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $414K | $720K | $366K |
More about each city
Related comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.