Moving from Washington, DC to Austin, TX
Washington to Austin is a move of about 1,609 miles. Median rent is $1,726 a month in Austin and $2,027 in Washington, and the median home is $465,000 against $579,900. Austin has no state income tax, against up to 10.75% in Washington. Property tax runs 1.54% of home value in Austin and 0.91% in Washington.
Moving to Austin costs about
$930/mo
less than Washington each month, renting on a $80,000 household income
Not your income? Run it on your own numbers
Worth knowing
A cheaper house in Austin, a bigger property tax bill
The median home in Austin costs $465,000 against $579,900 in Washington, but you would pay about $7,138 a year in property tax rather than $5,254. The rate more than cancels the lower price.
Washington vs Austin at a glance
| Washington | Austin | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $579,900 | $465,000 |
| Median rent | $2,027/mo | $1,726/mo |
| State income tax | Up to 10.75% | No state income tax |
| Property tax rate | 0.91% | 1.54% |
| Groceries, gas & goods | 105 | 94 |
| Utilities | 107 | 82 |
Price levels are indexes where 100 is the national average. They cover everyday spending only; housing is the two rows above.
Monthly cost of living: Washington vs Austin
| Monthly | Washington | Austin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Housing (median rent) | $2,027 | $1,726 | -$301 |
| Taxes | |||
| State income tax | $319 | $0 | -$319 |
| Sales tax (on everyday spending) | $94 | $89 | -$5 |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Groceries, gas & goods | $1,922 | $1,719 | -$203 |
| Utilities | $436 | $335 | -$101 |
| Total | -$929 | ||
Cost to move from Washington to Austin
$3,000 to $6,400
From a container you load yourself up to full-service movers.
Shipping one car adds about $700 to $1,050, against roughly $450 in fuel and lodging to drive it the 3-day trip yourself.
Housing and everyday prices here are for the metro area. Income and sales tax are set by state law and have no metro equivalent, so those come from District of Columbia and Texas. Compare the whole states instead to see how each metro sits against the state it is in.
Run this with your own numbers
What jobs pay in Austin, after the cost of living
Estimates only, not advice. Housing and income figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024); price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024); tax rates are for the 2026 tax year, compiled from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Moving costs are modelled from published ranges rather than quoted. Housing and price figures are metro-area medians or averages; income and sales tax are statewide. Neither will match any particular household.