San Francisco, CA vs Austin, TX: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Austin, TX is 15.2% less expensive than San Francisco, CA (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in San Francisco works out to about $63,600 in Austin, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 38.2% less in Austin. Goods are 13.6% lower and other services 9.4% lower.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 52.5% lower in Austin.
- Typical asking rent is $1,603 a month in Austin and $3,445 in San Francisco, $22,104 a year less in Austin (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $414,000 in Austin and $1,120,000 in San Francisco.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Austin was 17.0% less expensive than San Francisco.
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.
Housing drives the gap: 38.2% lower in Austin than in San Francisco
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
All items San Francisco, CA: 115.6 Austin, TX: 98.1
Goods San Francisco, CA: 108.5 Austin, TX: 93.8
Housing (rents) San Francisco, CA: 194.7 Austin, TX: 120.4
Utilities San Francisco, CA: 172.6 Austin, TX: 82.0
Other services San Francisco, CA: 106.2 Austin, TX: 96.2
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 115.6 | 98.1 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 93.8 |
| Housing (rents) | 194.7 | 120.4 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 96.2 |
| Category | San Francisco | Austin | Austin vs San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 115.6 | 98.1 | −15.2% |
| Goods | 108.5 | 93.8 | −13.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 194.7 | 120.4 | −38.2% |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 82.0 | −52.5% |
| Other services | 106.2 | 96.2 | −9.4% |
| Typical asking rent | $3,445 | $1,603 | −53.5% |
| Typical home value | $1,120,000 | $414,000 | −63.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in San Francisco | $75,000 | $63,600 | −15.2% |
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 San Francisco and Austin has narrowed since 2008: 19.5 points then, 17.5 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
US average = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 119.1 | 99.6 |
| 2009 | 115.2 | 98.9 |
| 2010 | 113.9 | 99.8 |
| 2011 | 112.4 | 100.3 |
| 2012 | 112.5 | 100.9 |
| 2013 | 112.9 | 100.8 |
| 2014 | 114.0 | 101.4 |
| 2015 | 115.8 | 101.6 |
| 2016 | 116.4 | 102.6 |
| 2017 | 121.6 | 101.8 |
| 2018 | 122.3 | 99.0 |
| 2019 | 119.7 | 99.4 |
| 2020 | 119.6 | 101.1 |
| 2021 | 120.0 | 100.0 |
| 2022 | 118.0 | 98.8 |
| 2023 | 117.6 | 98.3 |
| 2024 | 115.6 | 98.1 |
Goods
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 117.8 | 97.1 |
| 2009 | 110.0 | 95.2 |
| 2010 | 107.0 | 96.6 |
| 2011 | 105.5 | 96.9 |
| 2012 | 108.0 | 97.3 |
| 2013 | 109.9 | 97.3 |
| 2014 | 108.8 | 97.6 |
| 2015 | 111.4 | 97.0 |
| 2016 | 111.2 | 97.2 |
| 2017 | 114.0 | 97.1 |
| 2018 | 116.2 | 94.4 |
| 2019 | 113.8 | 96.2 |
| 2020 | 113.0 | 96.2 |
| 2021 | 113.8 | 96.2 |
| 2022 | 114.4 | 93.7 |
| 2023 | 115.2 | 92.9 |
| 2024 | 108.5 | 93.8 |
Housing (rents)
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 191.0 | 110.0 |
| 2009 | 192.1 | 111.7 |
| 2010 | 189.2 | 108.1 |
| 2011 | 191.9 | 110.3 |
| 2012 | 189.0 | 115.2 |
| 2013 | 190.7 | 114.7 |
| 2014 | 198.1 | 117.7 |
| 2015 | 204.5 | 119.2 |
| 2016 | 210.4 | 122.7 |
| 2017 | 215.2 | 124.9 |
| 2018 | 219.7 | 121.9 |
| 2019 | 213.0 | 121.5 |
| 2020 | 227.1 | 124.5 |
| 2021 | 213.5 | 122.5 |
| 2022 | 206.3 | 126.3 |
| 2023 | 200.1 | 126.4 |
| 2024 | 194.7 | 120.4 |
Utilities
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 115.6 | 99.7 |
| 2009 | 115.7 | 94.4 |
| 2010 | 118.5 | 95.0 |
| 2011 | 113.2 | 90.2 |
| 2012 | 110.3 | 88.5 |
| 2013 | 130.1 | 89.9 |
| 2014 | 135.1 | 93.3 |
| 2015 | 142.5 | 90.8 |
| 2016 | 145.5 | 86.8 |
| 2017 | 152.4 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 158.4 | 84.1 |
| 2019 | 162.8 | 85.7 |
| 2020 | 161.3 | 85.8 |
| 2021 | 167.0 | 85.8 |
| 2022 | 170.4 | 87.4 |
| 2023 | 162.2 | 89.2 |
| 2024 | 172.6 | 82.0 |
Other services
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 107.0 | 98.5 |
| 2009 | 104.0 | 98.1 |
| 2010 | 104.1 | 100.0 |
| 2011 | 102.7 | 100.8 |
| 2012 | 102.2 | 100.7 |
| 2013 | 101.6 | 100.3 |
| 2014 | 103.2 | 100.3 |
| 2015 | 104.3 | 101.0 |
| 2016 | 104.9 | 102.3 |
| 2017 | 111.0 | 100.5 |
| 2018 | 110.8 | 97.7 |
| 2019 | 108.6 | 96.9 |
| 2020 | 105.2 | 99.3 |
| 2021 | 108.2 | 98.1 |
| 2022 | 105.9 | 96.7 |
| 2023 | 105.4 | 95.8 |
| 2024 | 106.2 | 96.2 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,603 in Austin vs $3,445 in San Francisco
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $2,247 | $1,179 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $2,348 | $1,204 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $2,413 | $1,215 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $2,413 | $1,212 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $2,448 | $1,223 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $2,505 | $1,251 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $2,507 | $1,249 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $2,467 | $1,236 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $2,518 | $1,266 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $2,570 | $1,285 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $2,597 | $1,277 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $2,583 | $1,270 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $2,614 | $1,286 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $2,663 | $1,312 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $2,687 | $1,322 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $2,675 | $1,327 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $2,703 | $1,348 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $2,742 | $1,370 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $2,761 | $1,386 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $2,744 | $1,381 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $2,768 | $1,401 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $2,732 | $1,383 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $2,618 | $1,383 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $2,520 | $1,374 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $2,549 | $1,425 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $2,647 | $1,533 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $2,739 | $1,660 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $2,732 | $1,671 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $2,797 | $1,705 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $2,863 | $1,774 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $2,887 | $1,788 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $2,830 | $1,730 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $2,859 | $1,744 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $2,874 | $1,748 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $2,878 | $1,717 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $2,831 | $1,683 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $2,869 | $1,671 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $2,913 | $1,682 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $2,926 | $1,650 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $2,915 | $1,610 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $2,975 | $1,617 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $3,041 | $1,626 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $3,082 | $1,592 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $3,084 | $1,563 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $3,161 | $1,577 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $3,291 | $1,598 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $3,445 | $1,603 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $414,000 in Austin vs $1,120,000 in San Francisco
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
- 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
| San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $669K | $258K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $693K | $263K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $715K | $268K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $739K | $274K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $765K | $279K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $770K | $284K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $765K | $287K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $774K | $291K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $794K | $295K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $809K | $298K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $821K | $299K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $848K | $303K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $881K | $306K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $905K | $308K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $912K | $310K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $914K | $313K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $905K | $314K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $901K | $316K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $906K | $319K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $912K | $325K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $926K | $333K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $926K | $337K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $934K | $346K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $972K | $365K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $1.01M | $394K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $1.06M | $454K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $1.09M | $483K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $1.11M | $494K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $1.18M | $530K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $1.22M | $565K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $1.16M | $545K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $1.11M | $516K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $1.07M | $494K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $1.08M | $486K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $1.1M | $482K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $1.1M | $473K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $1.1M | $468K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $1.13M | $465K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $1.13M | $460K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $1.13M | $457K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $1.12M | $450K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $1.1M | $440K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $1.09M | $433K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $1.1M | $429K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $1.1M | $423K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $1.11M | $415K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $1.12M | $414K | $366K |
More about each city
- Cost of living in San Francisco, CA
- Cost of living in Austin, TX
- Reverse: moving from Austin to San Francisco
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.