Austin
Austin is the blue dot in red Texas live-music capital of the world, barbecue mecca, and the fastest-growing tech city in the US over the past decade. Weirder than Dallas, friendlier than SF, and with zero state income tax.
Relocating to Austin? Visa process is rated Hard (about 12 weeks). Rent starts at $1,800/mo, roughly $3,170/mo all-in — see the full cost and eligibility breakdown on Jonzy.
Best for: Tech workers, Music lovers, BBQ fans.
- Rent from $1,800/mo, about $3,170/mo all-in for one person.
- Safety 76/100 · Internet 90/100 · a mild, fairly pleasant climate.
- Visa: Hard process, about 12 weeks.
- Local salaries average around $4,500/mo, with a large, well-established expat community.
Cost of living in Austin
| Rent (1-bed, typical) | $1,800/mo |
|---|---|
| Food & groceries | $500/mo |
| Transport | $130/mo |
| Healthcare | $320/mo |
| Utilities | $160/mo |
| Other essentials | $260/mo |
| Total (all-in) | $3,170/mo |
How Austin stacks up
- Rent eats about 57% of a one-person monthly budget in Austin — a rent-heavy split, so location choice moves your total the most.
- At ~$3,170/mo all-in, Austin runs about 126% pricier than the median Jonzy city ($1,400/mo).
- A local salary (~$4,500/mo) covers roughly 142% of one person's costs — comfortable on local pay.
- Its strongest catalog score is internet (90/100); the weakest is climate (72/100).
Is Austin right for you?
Highlights
- Fast, reliable internet (90/100).
- Large expat community — quick to plug into.
Watch-outs
- Above-median cost of living for the catalog.
- Tougher long-stay visa path (rated Hard).
Quality of life in Austin
- Safety: 76/100
- Internet speed: 90/100
- Climate: 72/100
- Healthcare: 78/100
- Expat community: 80/100
Taxes in Austin
~22% fed (TX no state tax)
Austin relocation FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Austin?
A single person typically spends about $3,170/month in Austin, including rent (from $1,800/mo), food, transport, healthcare, utilities, and misc. Costs vary by neighbourhood and lifestyle.
What is the monthly cost breakdown in Austin?
Typical monthly costs for one person in Austin: rent from $1,800, food $500, transport $130, healthcare $320, utilities $160, and other essentials $260 — about $3,170/mo all-in. Sign in to Jonzy for community-validated figures and a budget tuned to your lifestyle.
Is Austin a good place to relocate?
On this page, Austin scores 90/100 for internet, 76/100 for safety, and 72/100 for climate — catalog averages, not personalised to you. In Jonzy, you can rank it against 355 other cities for your income, passport, and lifestyle priorities.
What visa do I need to live in Austin?
Long-stay relocation routes for Austin depend on your passport. For example, a US passport holder may see "O-1 Extraordinary Ability / E-2 Treaty Investor" (is catalogued in our catalog). Tourist entry is separate, confirm border rules on official sources before travel. Jonzy matches United States against 525+ visa programs in-app. Informational only, not legal advice.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin?
Core costs for one person run about $3,170/mo, so a comfortable budget with room for savings, travel, and irregular expenses is roughly $4,400/mo take-home. Local salaries average around $4,500/mo. Jonzy calculates your exact surplus after tax for your income and passport.
Who is Austin best for?
Austin tends to suit tech workers, music lovers and bbq fans — based on its cost profile (about $3,170/mo all-in), 90/100 internet, 76/100 safety, and a large, well-established expat community. Jonzy scores it against your own income, passport, and lifestyle priorities so you can see whether it fits you specifically, not just the average relocator.
Is Austin expensive to live in?
At about $3,170/mo all-in for one person, Austin is among the more expensive cities in the catalog — roughly 126% above the median of the 356 Jonzy cities ($1,400/mo). Your own number depends on neighbourhood, lifestyle, and whether you rent short- or long-term.
Is Austin safe to live in?
Austin scores 76/100 on Jonzy's safety index, reasonably safe by catalog standards. For families specifically it rates 78/100. Safety varies sharply by neighbourhood and time of day everywhere — treat the score as a city-level average, and use community threads for street-level reality.
Is Austin good for remote work?
Connectivity scores 90/100 — fast and dependable enough for video-heavy remote work. The expat and nomad scene rates 80/100, and work-life balance 76/100. Combined with ~$3,170/mo all-in costs, that is the core remote-work math for Austin; Jonzy re-ranks it against your own income and timezone needs.
What is the weather like in Austin?
Austin scores 72/100 for climate — a comfortable climate for most of the year. It logs roughly 300 sunny days a year in the catalog. The city guide's seasonal data shows how the year actually feels; the climate planner tool maps it against your heat and daylight preferences.
What are taxes like in Austin?
Typical tax snapshot for Austin, United States: ~22% fed (TX no state tax). Your actual liability depends on residency status, income source, and any tax treaty — Jonzy estimates take-home pay for your specific situation, and this is not tax advice.
What is the best neighbourhood in Austin to live in?
Neighbourhood choice depends on budget and commute style. Start with the rent figure on this page as a baseline, then use Jonzy's rent & neighbourhoods tool after sign-in for area-level notes and community tips in Threads.
How does Austin compare to other cities for my salary?
Use Jonzy's head-to-head comparisons and income-tier pages (e.g. living in Austin on $5,000/mo) to see surplus after tax and living costs. Your passport and employer change the answer, generic listicles won't.