New York-Newark-Jersey City Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 112.6 → 98.1
Rent Delta: -$472/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 14% lower cost of living
  • + $472/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $15K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from New York-Newark-Jersey City to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 112.6 to 98.1 (100 = US average), so a New York-Newark-Jersey City salary needs to be multiplied by 0.87 to hold the same purchasing power in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $2,324/month in New York-Newark-Jersey City to $1,852/month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a lower monthly bill of $472, or $5,664/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $87,148 in New York-Newark-Jersey City versus $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos - a raw gap of $15,359 lower. The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos labor market has 1,265,270 tracked jobs against 9,414,820 in New York-Newark-Jersey City, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near New York-Newark-Jersey City and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos are 380 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 11.8:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $13,869/year in New York-Newark-Jersey City versus $7,566/year in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
New York-Newark-Jersey City
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 112.6
RPP 98.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$2,324/mo
$1,852/mo
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
💼 Wages
$87,148
$71,789
New York-Newark-Jersey City
🔒 Crime
380 per 100K
395 per 100K
New York-Newark-Jersey City
🎓 Schools
11.8:1
14.7:1
New York-Newark-Jersey City
👶 Childcare
$13,869/yr
$7,566/yr
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🌿 Environment
5270 violations
33822 violations
New York-Newark-Jersey City

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in New York-Newark-Jersey City to see what you'd need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos more expensive than New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has an RPP of 98.1 compared to New York-Newark-Jersey City's 112.6 (100 = national average). New York-Newark-Jersey City is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $1,852/mo vs $2,324/mo in New York-Newark-Jersey City.
What are salaries like in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos compared to New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The median salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is $71,789 compared to $87,148 in New York-Newark-Jersey City. That's a -$15,359 difference.
Is Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos safer than New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The violent crime rate near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is 395 per 100K vs 380 per 100K near New York-Newark-Jersey City (state-level data). New York-Newark-Jersey City has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to match my New York-Newark-Jersey City salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your New York-Newark-Jersey City salary by 0.87. For example, a $75,000 salary in New York-Newark-Jersey City would need to be $65,341 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)