

Killeen vs Waco
$250/mo less in Waco
KilleenWacoAbout 40 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Waco costs you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,327/mo in Waco. $2,577/mo in Killeen. −$3,000 a year.
Killeen
$2,577
left each month
Waco
$2,327
−$250 vs Killeen
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 602 households moved Killeen → Waco (avg AGI $56,228). 586 went the other way. The whole move →
−$250 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Killeen | Waco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,625 | $6,539 | −$86 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,265 | $1,240 | −$25 |
| Take-home pay | $5,360 | $5,299 | −$60 |
| Rent | $932 | $1,108 | +$176 |
| Getting around | $536 | $549 | +$13 |
| Groceries | $363 | $363 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $408 | $408 | $0 |
| Utilities | $227 | $227 | $0 |
| Everything else | $317 | $317 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,577 | $2,327 | −$250 |
Salary to match Killeen
$82,500
Gross pay in Waco that leaves the same amount as $79,500 in Killeen.
Tax difference
$0
A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.
More about Waco
Killeen, TX in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,109 and 222 sunny days; commutes average 24 minutes.
Waco, TX in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,319 and 221 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.
The other way
Start in Waco.
Waco → Killeen →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Waco than Killeen?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Waco leaves about $250 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $932 in Killeen and $1,108 in Waco.
Does Waco have state income tax?
Waco is in Texas, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Killeen to Waco?
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 Killeen and Waco 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.