SalaryCompareTool

Austin, TX vs Fort Collins, CO

Moving from Austin to Fort Collins? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($428,524 → $556,500 median home) and taxes.

Austin vs Fort Collins at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

Austin, TX Fort Collins, CO Cost-of-living index Austin, TX — Cost-of-living index: 98 98 Fort Collins, CO — Cost-of-living index: 97 97 Median home price Austin, TX — Median home price: $429k $429k Fort Collins, CO — Median home price: $557k $557k Price per sqft Austin, TX — Price per sqft: $204 $204 Fort Collins, CO — Price per sqft: $293 $293 Median rent Austin, TX — Median rent: $1,635 $1,635 Fort Collins, CO — Median rent: $1,928 $1,928 Combined sales tax Austin, TX — Combined sales tax: 8.2% 8.2% Fort Collins, CO — Combined sales tax: 7.8% 7.8% Property tax rate Austin, TX — Property tax rate: 1.71% 1.71% Fort Collins, CO — Property tax rate: 0.52% 0.52% Violent crime /100k Austin, TX — Violent crime /100k: 430 430 Fort Collins, CO — Violent crime /100k: 490 490 Electricity ¢/kWh Austin, TX — Electricity ¢/kWh: 17.0 17.0 Fort Collins, CO — Electricity ¢/kWh: 16.5 16.5 Avg commute (min) Austin, TX — Avg commute (min): 27 27 Fort Collins, CO — Avg commute (min): 23 23 Avg summer high °F Austin, TX — Avg summer high °F: 96° 96° Fort Collins, CO — Avg summer high °F: 88° 88° Avg winter low °F Austin, TX — Avg winter low °F: 38° 38° Fort Collins, CO — Avg winter low °F: 18° 18°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in Austin, TX, you'd need about $99,015 in Fort Collins, CO (−$985).

Livability — Austin, TX: 70 · Fort Collins, CO: 59 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 2,450 sqft in Austin vs 1,707 sqft in Fort Collins ($204 vs $293 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategoryAustin, TXFort Collins, CODifference
Housing $19,620 $23,136 +$3,516
Groceries $4,647 $4,814 +$167
Transportation $3,675 $4,050 +$375
Utilities $1,836 $1,788 −$48
Insurance $3,600 $2,800 −$800
Taxes $9,558 $9,647 +$89
Total $42,936 $46,234 +$3,299

Side by side

MetricAustin, TXFort Collins, CO
Cost-of-living index98.397.3
Unemployment rate4.30%4.57%
Population growth (5-yr)14.8%8.6%
Air quality (median AQI)5254
Big Mac price (est.)$5.59$5.54
Median home price$428,524$556,500
Home price ÷ income4.6×6.4×
1-yr home appreciation-6.0%-1.5%
Price per square foot$204$293
Median rent$1,635$1,928
Total tax burden (% income)8.6%9.7%
Combined sales tax8.20%7.77%
Capital gains taxNone4.40%
Property tax rate1.71%0.52%
Healthcare (annual)$6,800$6,800
Childcare (annual, infant)$9,500$16,000
Vehicle property taxNone1.79%
Avg commute (min)2723
Home insurance / yr$3,600$2,800
Auto insurance / yr$2,100$2,000
Flood insurance / yr$900$550
Earthquake insurance / yr$100$100
Electricity ¢/kWh17.016.5
Gas $/gal3.003.30
Violent crime /100k430490
Avg summer high °F9688
Avg winter low °F3818
Permit difficulty (1–5)23
Moving to Fort Collins?
Compare moving company quotes →
Financing a home in Fort Collins?
See today's mortgage rates →

Ad · affiliate links

Austin details → Fort Collins details → Reverse: Fort Collins vs Austin →