CostIndexUSA

Austin, TX vs Norfolk, VA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Austin
98.1
overall index
$1,550/mo rent
VA
Norfolk
97.9
overall index
$1,800/mo rent

Austin and Norfolk have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing17.1%
Austin
120.4
Norfolk
99.8
🛒 Groceries+3.2%
Austin
93.8
Norfolk
96.8
🚗 Transportation+2.4%
Austin
101.1
Norfolk
103.5
🏥 Healthcare+2.5%
Austin
91.4
Norfolk
93.7
Utilities+9.3%
Austin
82
Norfolk
89.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Norfolk, VA
$79,800
$200 less needed in Norfolk

Formula: salary × (97.9 ÷ 98.1) = salary × 0.9980. 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×

Norfolk, VA

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,800
Housing Index
99.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.7×

Austin has 17.1% lower housing costs compared to Norfolk.

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

Norfolk, VA

Median Household Income
$79,300
Per Capita Income
$45,200
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
245,782
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareShippingGovernmentRetail

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)

Norfolk, VA
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% 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.