$90,000 in Seattle ≈ $79,469 in Austin (−11.7% cost of living)
$79,469
Target salary in Austin for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices −11.7% vs Seattle.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Seattle to Austin is housing & rent, which runs about 20.4% less expensive in Austin.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for Seattle → Austin.
| Metric | Seattle | Austin | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 111.1 | 98.1 | −11.7% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 104.0 | 93.8 | −9.8% |
| Housing & rent | 151.3 | 120.4 | −20.4% |
| Everyday services | 106.8 | 96.2 | −9.9% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $79,469 COL target | −$10,531 (−11.7%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$0 | ~$0 | $0 |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $90,000 Tax match | $0 |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $79,469
- Tax parity target
- $90,000
Gross needed in Austin for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in Seattle, before taxes.
Gross needed in Austin to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $90,000 (without accounting for the lower cost of living) .
On $90,000 in Seattle, you keep about $90,000 after Washington tax. Matching that take-home under Texas tax is the tax parity target above (about the same gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $90,000
- WA state tax
- $0
- TX state tax on match
- $0
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- $0
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $79,469). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Austin | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $117,850
Beats target
| −19.3% |
| Software Developers | $134,120
Beats target
| −19.8% |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890
Beats target
| −23.7% |
| Project Management Specialists | $102,390
Beats target
| −21.5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $76,240
Beats target
| −6.6% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $62,900
Beats target
| −23.8% |
| Office Clerks, General | $44,870
Beats target
| −15.8% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $48,470
Beats target
| −19.5% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find General and Operations Managers jobs in Austin
- General and Operations Managers
- Software Developers
- Registered Nurses
- Project Management Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Office Clerks, General
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Accountants and Auditors
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other
- Construction Laborers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Sales Managers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Human Resources Specialists
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Lawyers
- Electricians
- Financial Managers
- Marketing Managers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Management Analysts
- Managers, All Other
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
- Training and Development Specialists
- Construction Managers
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Medical Assistants
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Civil Engineers
- Administrative Services Managers
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Public Relations Specialists
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Electrical Engineers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Data Scientists
- Compliance Officers
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Industrial Engineers
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Instructional Coordinators
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Food Service Managers
- Bus Drivers, School
- Dental Assistants
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Human Resources Managers
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Carpenters
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Physical Therapists
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Information Security Analysts
- Firefighters
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Cost Estimators
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Loan Officers
- Graphic Designers
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Pharmacists
- Mechanical Engineers
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Logisticians
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Computer Network Architects
- Coaches and Scouts
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
- Occupational Therapists
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Physicians, All Other
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Industrial Production Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Medical Records Specialists
- Dental Hygienists
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
- Machinists
- Facilities Managers
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Engineers, All Other
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Chief Executives
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Physician Assistants
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$146,030 in Seattle → $117,850 in Austin (−19.3%)
See current openings for General and Operations Managers in Austin.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in Austin
| In Seattle | In Austin |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $52,979 |
| $90,000 | $79,469 |
| $150,000 | $132,448 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Austin to match $90,000 in Seattle?
- About $79,469, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 111.1 and 98.1 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Austin less expensive than Seattle?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Seattle to Austin is housing & rent, which runs about 20.4% less expensive in Austin. Overall cost of living index is 111.1 in Seattle vs 98.1 in Austin (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from Seattle to Austin?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), General and Operations Managers is among the highest-employment matches: $146,030 in Seattle vs $117,850 in Austin (−19.3%; about 42,190 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from Seattle to Austin?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $79,469 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $90,000, the gross you’d need in Austin to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$90,000) you keep after Washington tax on $90,000 in Seattle, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this Seattle → Austin move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Seattle to Austin is housing & rent, which runs about 20.4% less expensive in Austin. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.