Chattanooga, TN vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 8.1% higher than Chattanooga, TN.

Chattanooga, TN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,360 / month
Austin, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / 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 Chattanooga, TN and Austin, TX 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 Chattanooga, TN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $856/month in Austin, TX

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $160,269 in Austin, TX

Regional cost estimates: Chattanooga, TN uses Atlanta, GA. Austin, TX uses Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 8.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$856

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$10.3K

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.

Chattanooga, TN

Population:187K

Cost Index:

95.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$357K

Austin, TX

Population:979K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$558K

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Chattanooga, TN

The Volunteer State

187K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Tennessee, this city has a population of 187K residents.

💡 Advantage: Tennessee has no state income tax!

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

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chattanooga, TN vs Austin, TX

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	Chattanooga, TN	Austin, TX	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,219/mo	$3,013/mo	↑ $794more	35.8%
Groceries	$950/mo	$1,002/mo	↑ $51.86more	5.5%
Healthcare	$583/mo	$615/mo	↑ $31.82more	5.5%
Transportation	$1,360/mo	$1,341/mo	↓ $18.75less	1.4%
All Utilities	$579/mo	$565/mo	↓ $14.06less	2.4%
Other	$1,808/mo	$1,819/mo	↑ $10.38more	0.6%

Housing

↑ 35.8%

Chattanooga, TN

$2,219

Austin, TX

$3,013

Difference

$794

Groceries

↑ 5.5%

Chattanooga, TN

$950

Austin, TX

$1,002

Difference

$51.86

Healthcare

↑ 5.5%

Chattanooga, TN

$583

Austin, TX

$615

Difference

$31.82

Transportation

↓ 1.4%

Chattanooga, TN

$1,360

Austin, TX

$1,341

Difference

$18.75

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.4%

Chattanooga, TN

$579

Austin, TX

$565

Difference

$14.06

less

Other

↑ 0.6%

Chattanooga, TN

$1,808

Austin, TX

$1,819

Difference

$10.38

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,180

To$1,585

↑ $405

1 Bed

From$1,240

To$1,685

↑ $445

2 Bed

From$1,360

To$1,995

↑ $635

3 Bed

From$1,700

To$2,525

↑ $825

Chattanooga, TNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,000–$1,660/mo

Austin, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$2,350/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 Chattanooga, TN

$8,356

Monthly in Austin, TX

$856

Difference

Home Values

Chattanooga

Austin

$357K

Median Value

$558K

↓ -1.2%

YoY Change

↓ -5%

↑ +38.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +12.6%

$124K - $462K

Price Range

$272K - $1.26M

Homes in Austin are 56% more expensive than Chattanooga

Calculate payment - Chattanooga Calculate payment - Austin

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Chattanooga, TN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Tennessee 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

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

Additional Tax Information

Chattanooga, TN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.5%

Property Tax:0.7%

Austin, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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

Chattanooga, TN: No data yet

Austin, TX

35/100

2.8% sidewalk tags · 5.1% cycling tags

Environment

Chattanooga

Austin

50 Good

Air Quality

52 Moderate

50.8%

Good Air Days

42.6%

96 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

Before moving from Chattanooga, TN to Austin, TX

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Austin, TX for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Chattanooga, TN. 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 Chattanooga to Austin moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chattanooga, TN vs Austin, TX

How do the cost estimates for Chattanooga, TN and Austin, TX compare?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 8.1% higher than Chattanooga, TN. 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 Chattanooga, TN, the model estimates $160,269 in Austin, TX. 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 Chattanooga, TN and Austin, TX?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,360/month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,995/month in Austin, TX. 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 Tennessee and Texas on TaxTakeHome.com