Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos cost of living
Prices in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area run at 98.1 against a national average of 100, ranking it #112 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 120.4.
What drives the number
Prices in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos run at 98.1 where the national average is 100, so about 1.9 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #112 of 387 metro areas. Against Texas as a whole it is 1 point more expensive, which is the usual direction: cities cost more than the states around them.
Housing is doing nearly all of the work. Rents sit at 120.4 while goods sit at 93.8, a gap of 22.3 points between what it costs to live somewhere and what it costs to buy things. Someone who could reduce their housing cost here, by living further out or with fewer rooms, would remove most of the premium. Goods at 93.8 are themselves 6.2 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 98.1 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 44,460 | $108,940 | $111,050 | $102,950 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 36,210 | $28,920 | $29,480 | $30,480 |
| Customer Service Representatives | 31,430 | $39,770 | $40,540 | $42,830 |
| Retail Salespersons | 29,580 | $31,680 | $32,294 | $34,580 |
| Software Developers | 28,210 | $133,070 | $135,647 | $133,080 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 22,770 | $37,010 | $37,727 | $37,090 |
| Cashiers | 20,270 | $30,110 | $30,693 | $31,190 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,930 | $29,740 | $30,316 | $33,760 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 98.1.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 103.1 | 117.9 | #48 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | 98.6 | 104.5 | #101 |
| Midland | 95.8 | 101.5 | #150 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | 94.7 | 94.6 | #175 |
| Odessa | 93.9 | 89.7 | #184 |
| Sherman-Denison | 93.8 | 89.5 | #187 |
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos: common questions
Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos expensive?
Prices are 1.9% below the national average, a parity of 98.1 where the country is 100. It ranks #112 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Texas as a whole it is 1 point more expensive.
What salary do you need in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The median worker there earns $52,610, which buys what $53,629 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 120.4 against goods at 93.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.