Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Austin-Round Rock, TX
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $1,530 | +$269 | +21.3% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $334 | +$13 | +4.0% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $1,062 | +$47 | +4.6% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $467 | +$45 | +10.7% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $585 | +$105 | +21.9% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $1,735 | $0 | 0.0% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $117,850 | -$1,750 (-1.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $97,890 | -$1,940 (-1.9%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $134,120 | +$4,680 (+3.6%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $102,390 | +$2,880 (+2.9%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $83,120 | -$1,970 (-2.3%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $60,390 | +$1,210 (+2.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $151,760 | +$15,880 (+11.7%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $167,180 | +$270 (+0.2%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $172,160 | $176,990 | +$4,830 (+2.8%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,530 | $102,980 | -$550 (-0.5%) | View Dossier |
| Solutions ArchitectTechnology | Technology | $105,440 | $129,470 | +$24,030 (+22.8%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $63,180 | $62,660 | -$520 (-0.8%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX Relocation FAQs
About $117,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Austin-Round Rock, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $117,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 17.0% higher in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.