Question 1

Is Arlington or Austin cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Austin, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $711/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,095/mo in Austin.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Austin?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $58,500/year in Austin, TX — a difference of about $13,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Austin cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Austin, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $6,616/month in Austin, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Austin?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Austin costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Austin76
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$3,400
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$6,616
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$58,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,095
Median home value	$276,400	$512,700
Median household income	$73,519	$91,461
Unemployment	4.1%	3.4%
Housing score	60	58
Jobs score	58	81
Safety score	65	58
Climate score	96	92
Amenities score	73	64
Population	394.8K	967.9K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	96° / 37°

Arlington, TX vs Austin, TX