City comparison
Austin, TX vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 3.0% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $103,000 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,562 a month in Austin, TX and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.4% moving from Austin, TX to Reno, NV ($109,428 → $106,855), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,006 in Reno | $97,082 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Reno, NV | Real change, Austin → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,965 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,972 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,859 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,855 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $126,271 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $62,430 | $60,608 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $125,710 | $122,041 (−9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $82,370 | $79,966 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $107,520 | $104,382 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.