Seward, AK vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 0.9% higher than Seward, AK.

Seward, AK · modeled 2BR rent: $1,560 / 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 Seward, AK 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 Seward, AK

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $284/month in Austin, TX

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,410 in Austin, TX

Regional cost estimates: Seward, AK uses Anchorage, AK. Austin, TX uses Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.9%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$284

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$3.4K

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.

Seward, AK

Population:3K

Cost Index:

102.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$372K

Austin, TX

Population:979K

Cost Index:

103.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$558K

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Seward, AK

The Last Frontier

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Alaska, this city has a population of 3K residents.

💡 Advantage: Alaska 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: Seward, AK 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	Seward, AK	Austin, TX	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,193/mo	$2,807/mo	↑ $614more	28.0%
Groceries	$1,169/mo	$934/mo	↓ $235less	20.1%
Other	$1,477/mo	$1,694/mo	↑ $218more	14.7%
Healthcare	$785/mo	$573/mo	↓ $212less	27.0%
All Utilities	$726/mo	$526/mo	↓ $199less	27.4%
Transportation	$1,151/mo	$1,250/mo	↑ $98.89more	8.6%

Housing

↑ 28.0%

Seward, AK

$2,193

Austin, TX

$2,807

Difference

$614

Groceries

↓ 20.1%

Seward, AK

$1,169

Austin, TX

$934

Difference

$235

less

Other

↑ 14.7%

Seward, AK

$1,477

Austin, TX

$1,694

Difference

$218

Healthcare

↓ 27.0%

Seward, AK

$785

Austin, TX

$573

Difference

$212

less

All Utilities

↓ 27.4%

Seward, AK

$726

Austin, TX

$526

Difference

$199

less

Transportation

↑ 8.6%

Seward, AK

$1,151

Austin, TX

$1,250

Difference

$98.89

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,180

To$1,585

↑ $405

1 Bed

From$1,190

To$1,685

↑ $495

2 Bed

From$1,560

To$1,995

↑ $435

3 Bed

From$2,170

To$2,525

↑ $355

Seward, AKZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,190–$1,190/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 Seward, AK

$7,784

Monthly in Austin, TX

$284

Difference

Home Values

Seward

Austin

$372K

Median Value

$558K

↑ +11.4%

YoY Change

↓ -5%

↑ +36.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +12.6%

$372K

Price Range

$272K - $1.26M

Homes in Austin are 50% more expensive than Seward

Calculate payment - Seward 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

Seward, AK

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Alaska 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

Seward, AK Tax Rates

Sales Tax:1.8%

Property Tax:0.9%

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

Seward, AK: No data yet

Austin, TX

35/100

2.8% sidewalk tags · 5.1% cycling tags

Environment

Seward

Austin

24 Good

Air Quality

52 Moderate

81.1%

Good Air Days

42.6%

97 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

N/A

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

N/A

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

Heat Days >95°F

98 days

Before moving from Seward, AK 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 Seward, AK. 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 Seward 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: Seward, AK vs Austin, TX

How do the cost estimates for Seward, AK and Austin, TX compare?

Austin, TX has a modeled overall cost index 0.9% higher than Seward, AK. 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 Seward, AK, the model estimates $153,410 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 Seward, AK and Austin, TX?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,560/month in Seward, AK 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 Alaska and Texas on TaxTakeHome.com