Texas › Austin
What it actually costs to live in Austin right now.
Every number sourced. Checked this month.
Austin out-earns Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston on average pay and has the priciest homes of the big metros, yet its rents have been sliding for a while. The city tax rate went up again for 2026-27, and CapMetro fares rise in January. Here is the current picture.
Numbers last checked October 31, 2026The numbers
Apartment List figures are medians on new leases. RentCafe figures are averages for large managed buildings and run $250 to $400 higher.
| Topic | What | Cost | Since | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | ||||
| Rent | 1-bedroom, median | $1,172 | Oct 2026 data | Apartment List |
| Rent | 2-bedroom, median | $1,426 | Oct 2026 data | Apartment List |
| Rent | Change in city median, year over year | −1.3% | Oct 2026 data | Apartment List |
| Rent | 1-bedroom, average (large buildings) | $1,427 | Sep 30, 2026 | RentCafe |
| Rent | 2-bedroom, average (large buildings) | $1,822 | Sep 30, 2026 | RentCafe |
| Buying | ||||
| Home prices | City of Austin median | $560,000 | Aug 2026 | Unlock MLS via CultureMap |
| Home prices | Travis County median | $489,000 | Aug 2026 | Unlock MLS via CultureMap |
| Home prices | Austin metro median (down 6.4%) | $412,000 | Aug 2026 | Unlock MLS via CultureMap |
| Taxes | ||||
| Property tax | City of Austin rate per $100 | $0.579948 | FY2026-27 (adopted Aug 2026) | City of Austin |
| Property tax | Added cost for typical city taxpayer (tax plus utility fees) | +$285.84/yr | FY2026-27 | City of Austin |
| Property tax | Austin ISD rate per $100 (down from $0.9252) | $0.9184 | 2026-27, adopted Sep 24, 2026 | Community Impact; prior rate from Austin ISD |
| Sales tax | Combined rate in Austin (Texas maximum) | 8.25% | Checked Oct 31, 2026 | Texas Comptroller city rates |
| Bills and getting around | ||||
| Electricity | Austin Energy typical bill, 860 kWh, inside city | $121.94 | Page reviewed Oct 1, 2026 | Austin Energy |
| Electricity | Austin Energy customer charge | $17.35/mo | Page reviewed Oct 1, 2026 | Austin Energy |
| Transit | CapMetro local: single / day / month | $1.25 / $2.50 / $41.25 | Until Jan 10, 2027 | CapMetro |
| Transit | CapMetro local after increase: single / day / month | $1.50 / $3.00 / $49.50 | From Jan 10, 2027 | CapMetro |
| Pay and prices | ||||
| Wages | Mean hourly wage, all jobs (U.S. $33.54) | $35.85 | May 2025 | BLS |
| Living wage | One adult, no kids | $23.71/hr | Feb 15, 2026 | MIT |
| Living wage | Two working adults, two kids (per adult) | $27.13/hr | Feb 15, 2026 | MIT |
| Income | Median household income, city of Austin (±$2,569) | $90,430 | 2024 ACS 1-year | Census Reporter |
| Price level | All items vs. U.S. = 100 | 98.1 | 2024 data | BEA via FRED |
Census released 2025 ACS figures on Oct 29, 2026; the income above is the 2024 estimate until we can pull the new table. Travis County’s final 2026 rate was not adopted when we last checked.
Neighborhood rents
Average rent across all unit sizes in large managed buildings, from RentCafe (Sep 2026). Not 1-bedroom prices.
Across the metro, Apartment List medians run from $1,587 in Bee Cave to $1,056 in San Marcos (Oct 2026 data).
Out-of-date numbers you’ll still find online
$0.4776 was the FY2025 rate. Voters rejected Prop Q in Nov 2025, but council has since adopted $0.579948 for 2026-27.
Still $41.25 today, but the board approved increases to $49.50 in Jan 2027 and $66 in Jan 2029.
Project Connect Phase 1 dropped the downtown subway. Construction is planned for 2027 and first trains for 2033 (KUT, Jul 24, 2026).
Raised statewide in Nov 2025. Details on Texas taxes.
Same everywhere in Texas
Austin Energy is a city utility, so Austin is outside the Texas electricity choice market (ERCOT). Income tax, the sales tax ceiling, homestead exemptions, vehicle fees and insurance averages are on Texas taxes and pay and the Texas overview. Compare Austin with the rest on the city comparison.
How we check
Every figure links to its source and shows the date it applies to. Read the full methodology.