

Abilene vs Austin
$1,167/mo more in Austin
AbileneAustinAbout 195 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Austin leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Property tax 1.63%
Same paycheck, two cities. $3,180/mo in Austin. $2,013/mo in Abilene. +$14,004 a year.
Abilene
$2,013
left each month
Austin
$3,180
+$1,167 vs Abilene
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 150 households moved Abilene → Austin (avg AGI $61,060). 121 went the other way. The whole move →
+$1,167 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Abilene | Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,542 | $8,128 | +$1,587 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,241 | $1,711 | +$470 |
| Take-home pay | $5,301 | $6,417 | +$1,116 |
| Rent | $1,421 | $1,221 | −$200 |
| Getting around | $552 | $566 | +$14 |
| Groceries | $363 | $400 | +$37 |
| Healthcare | $408 | $450 | +$42 |
| Utilities | $227 | $250 | +$23 |
| Everything else | $317 | $350 | +$33 |
| Left over | $2,013 | $3,180 | +$1,167 |
Salary to match Abilene
$77,500
Gross pay in Austin that leaves the same amount as $78,500 in Abilene.
Tax difference
$0
A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.
More about Austin
Abilene, TX in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,692 and 254 sunny days; commutes average 18 minutes.
Austin, TX in full
No income tax, but property taxes are among the steepest anywhere.
The other way
Start in Austin.
Austin → Abilene →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Austin than Abilene?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Austin leaves about $1,167 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,421 in Abilene and $1,221 in Austin.
Does Austin have state income tax?
Austin is in Texas, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Abilene to Austin?
The paycheck is taxed in Texas. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Abilene and Austin changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.