City comparison
Albany, NY vs Austin, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 1.5% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $101,500 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.3% moving from Albany, NY to Austin, TX ($109,810 → $109,428), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 98.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,493 in Austin | $101,530 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,562/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $56,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 120.4 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 98.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Austin, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
74 Strong offer
Austin, TX → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Austin, TX is in Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Austin, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Austin, TX | Real change, Albany → Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $63,457 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $76,777 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $92,023 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $109,428 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $129,311 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Austin, TX | Austin pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $61,270 | $62,207 (−21.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $134,120 | $136,171 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $83,120 | $84,391 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $97,890 | $99,387 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.