Perhaps one of the biggest differences between San Francisco and Austin comes in the cost of housing. Its not unusual for San Francisco residents to spend 50-60% of their gross income on their housing expenses. In Austin, that figure is much less.
Austin Housing is 67% Less than San Francisco Housing
According to the cost of living comparison from BestPlaces.net, Austin housing is 67% less expensive than San Francisco housing. Having been a Realtor in both cities, that number is not surprising. San Francisco cost of housing is one of the highest in the country and Austin’s is just slightly above the national average.
Austin vs San Francisco Housing
Though housing overall is less in Austin than it is in San Francisco, that doesn’t mean you’ll find a shortage of luxury homes. It just means you’ll pay a lot less for the same house than you would in San Francisco. Luxury homes in Austin start at around $600,000. In San Francisco, $600,000 will buy you a modest, 60+ year old home in an ok neighborhood.
As you can probably guess, making a move from San Francisco to Austin is a much easier move than Austin to San Francisco where housing is concerned. Most San Francisco residents we’ve worked with are pleasantly surprised when they find out what type of house they can buy for a fraction of what their current home in San Francisco is worth. Some of them have even been fortunate enough to pay cash for a home in Austin with the equity they made from their San Francisco home.
Moving to Austin from San Francisco
If you find yourself contemplating a move to Austin from San Francisco, call us at (512) 827-8323. We’ve been in your shoes and know what its like to move to a new city.