Austin, TX vs Mesa, AZ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Mesa, AZ has a modeled overall cost index 0.2% higher than Austin, TX.

Austin, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / month
Mesa, AZ · modeled 2BR rent: $1,785 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Austin, TX and Mesa, AZ using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Austin, TX

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $65.03/month in Mesa, AZ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,780 in Mesa, AZ

Regional cost estimates: Austin, TX uses Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metropolitan Area. Mesa, AZ uses Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$65.03

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$780

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Austin, TX

Population:979K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$558K

Mesa, AZ

Population:504K

Cost Index:

103.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$395K

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Austin, TX

The Lone Star State

979K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Live music capital
•Major tech hub
•SXSW festival city

Major Industries

TechnologyMusic IndustryEducationGovernment

Mesa, AZ

The Grand Canyon State

504K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Arizona, this city has a population of 504K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Austin, TX vs Mesa, AZ

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Austin, TX	Mesa, AZ	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,204/mo	$1,396/mo	↑ $192more	16.0%
Housing	$2,705/mo	$2,615/mo	↓ $90.16less	3.3%
Other	$1,632/mo	$1,573/mo	↓ $59.65less	3.7%
All Utilities	$507/mo	$526/mo	↑ $18.96more	3.7%
Groceries	$900/mo	$903/mo	↑ $3.75more	0.4%
Healthcare	$552/mo	$552/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Transportation

↑ 16.0%

Austin, TX

$1,204

Mesa, AZ

$1,396

Difference

$192

Housing

↓ 3.3%

Austin, TX

$2,705

Mesa, AZ

$2,615

Difference

$90.16

less

Other

↓ 3.7%

Austin, TX

$1,632

Mesa, AZ

$1,573

Difference

$59.65

less

All Utilities

↑ 3.7%

Austin, TX

$507

Mesa, AZ

$526

Difference

$18.96

Groceries

↑ 0.4%

Austin, TX

$900

Mesa, AZ

$903

Difference

$3.75

Healthcare

→ 0.0%

Austin, TX

$552

Mesa, AZ

$552

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,585

To$1,415

↓ $170

1 Bed

From$1,685

To$1,535

↓ $150

2 Bed

From$1,995

To$1,785

↓ $210

3 Bed

From$2,525

To$2,380

↓ $145

Austin, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$2,350/mo

Mesa, AZZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,390–$2,030/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Austin, TX

$7,565

Monthly in Mesa, AZ

$65.03

Difference

Home Values

Austin

Mesa

$558K

Median Value

$395K

↓ -5%

YoY Change

↓ -2.8%

↑ +12.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +29.3%

$272K - $1.26M

Price Range

$353K - $554K

Homes in Mesa are 29% less expensive than Austin

Calculate payment - Austin Calculate payment - Mesa

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $5.2K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$436

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.5%

Rate difference

Austin, TX

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Texas State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Mesa, AZ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Arizona State Tax

Effective: 3.5%

$5.2K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 28.2%

$42.2K

Take-Home Pay

$8,979/month

$107.8K

Additional Tax Information

Austin, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

Mesa, AZ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.5%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Austin, TX

35/100

2.8% sidewalk tags · 5.1% cycling tags

Mesa, AZ

21/100

4% sidewalk tags · 13.3% cycling tags

Environment

Austin

Mesa

52 Moderate

Air Quality

77 Moderate

42.6%

Good Air Days

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

98 days

Heat Days >95°F

159 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

98 days

Heat Days >95°F

159 days

Before moving from Austin, TX to Mesa, AZ

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Mesa, AZ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Austin, TX. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Austin to Mesa moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Mesa, AZ by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Austin, TX vs Mesa, AZ

How do the cost estimates for Austin, TX and Mesa, AZ compare?

Mesa, AZ has a modeled overall cost index 0.2% higher than Austin, TX. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Austin, TX, the model estimates $150,780 in Mesa, AZ. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Austin, TX and Mesa, AZ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,995/month in Austin, TX and $1,785/month in Mesa, AZ. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Texas and Arizona on TaxTakeHome.com