CostIndexUSA

Austin, TX vs Gainesville, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

TX
Austin
98.1
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
More AffordableFL
Gainesville
96.7
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Gainesville is slightly cheaper than Austin — 1.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Austin, you would need $78,900 in Gainesville. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing22.8%
Austin
120.4
Gainesville
93
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
Austin
93.8
Gainesville
96.2
🚗 Transportation+2.7%
Austin
101.1
Gainesville
103.8
🏥 Healthcare+2.7%
Austin
91.4
Gainesville
93.9
Utilities+7.6%
Austin
82
Gainesville
88.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Austin to see what you'd need to earn in Gainesville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Gainesville, FL
$78,900
$1,100 less needed in Gainesville

Formula: salary × (96.7 ÷ 98.1) = salary × 0.9857. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Austin, TX

Median Home Price
$420,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
120.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.6×

Gainesville, FL

Median Home Price
$294,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
93
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Austin has 22.8% lower housing costs compared to Gainesville.

Income & Job Market

Austin, TX

Median Household Income
$98,500
Per Capita Income
$56,100
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
978,908
Top Industries
TechnologyGovernmentHealthcareEducationEntertainment

Gainesville, FL

Median Household Income
$59,300
Per Capita Income
$33,800
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
140,003
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTechnologyGovernmentResearch

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Austin, TX
5.3×income-to-rent ratio

81% of income left after rent (median)

Gainesville, FL
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.