Colorado Springs is about 3% more expensive than Austin overall - $100,000 in Austin is worth about $102,693 in Colorado Springs.
Housing costs in Austin and Colorado Springs are fairly close. The median home in Colorado Springs is $420,700 compared to $512,700 in Austin - a modest gap that won’t dominate your relocation math.
Renters see the same pattern. The typical apartment in Colorado Springs costs $1,562/month versus $1,655/month in Austin. But income matters too: the median household in Austin earns $91,461 and in Colorado Springs earns $83,198. That means rent swallows about 21.7% of median income in Austin and 22.5% in Colorado Springs.
Both cities are similarly sized metros - Austin has 967,862 people and Colorado Springs has 483,099. That means comparable access to jobs, airports, and cultural amenities without the extremes of a mega-city.
Monthly cost breakdown: Austin vs Colorado Springs
These estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by each city’s cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s actual median rent; ownership uses a 6.7%, 30-year mortgage with 10% down on the median home.
| Category | Austin (rent) | Colorado Springs (rent) | Austin (own) | Colorado Springs (own) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | $1,655 | $1,562 | $2,978 | $2,443 |
| Transportation | $1,226 | $1,145 | $1,226 | $1,145 |
| Food | $964 | $901 | $964 | $901 |
| Healthcare | $605 | $566 | $605 | $566 |
| Other | $2,153 | $2,011 | $2,153 | $2,011 |
| Total | $6,603 | $6,184 | $7,926 | $7,065 |
Scenario: who actually wins?
The Renter
If you rent a median apartment and keep other spending typical, your monthly nut in Colorado Springs is roughly $19,860 per year in rent alone - $1,116 more than in Austin. Add utilities, food, and transport and the annual gap widens. The crossover point: you need to earn about $102,693 in Colorado Springs to match $100,000 in Austin.
The First-Time Buyer
A 10% down payment on the median home costs $51,270 in Colorado Springs versus $42,070 in Austin. On a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.7%, the monthly P&I difference is roughly $534. Over five years, that’s $32,057 in extra (or saved) housing costs.
The Remote Worker
If your salary is locked to a national scale regardless of location, Austin is the obvious win. A $120,000 remote salary in Austin has the purchasing power of about $123,232 in Colorado Springs. The catch: some employers use location-based pay bands, which can erase part of that advantage.
The Family of Four
With two median incomes, a household in Austin earns roughly $137,192 and in Colorado Springs earns $124,797. After housing, the next biggest budget line is usually childcare and education - costs that vary less by city than housing does. The family math usually comes down to: can you afford the home you want on local salaries? In Colorado Springs, that answer is harder.
Austin vs Colorado Springs: the numbers
| Metric | Austin | Colorado Springs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living index (US=100) | 98 | 101 | +3% |
| Median rent | $1,655 | $1,562 | -6% |
| Median home value | $512,700 | $420,700 | -18% |
| Median household income | $91,461 | $83,198 | -9% |
Cost of living = BEA Regional Price Parities (US average = 100). Rent, home value, and income from the U.S. Census ACS. See our methodology.
What your salary is worth
A $100,000 salary in Austin has the same buying power as about $102,693 in Colorado Springs. Going the other way, $100,000 in Colorado Springs is like $97,378 in Austin.
Use the calculator below to compare any salary between Austin and Colorado Springs.
Job market snapshot: Austin vs Colorado Springs
Highest-paying roles with available data. Median salary where BLS publishes one, otherwise the average - the median avoids skew from senior outliers, so it is preferred when present.
| Role | Austin | Colorado Springs | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Manager | $154,010 | $161,960 | +5% |
| Software Developer | $131,320 | $127,690 | -3% |
| Data Scientist | $111,760 | $112,820 | +1% |
| Physical Therapist | $102,720 | $96,930 | -6% |
| Mechanical Engineer | $102,370 | $95,490 | -7% |
| Financial Analyst | $95,580 | $97,130 | +2% |
Moving from Austin to Colorado Springs: a practical checklist
Before you pack, run the numbers on these five items:
- Total compensation, not just base salary. Factor in bonuses, stock, 401(k) match, and remote-work stipends.
- Housing math for your situation. Rent vs. buy changes the winner. Use our calculator above to model both.
- State income tax. Austin and Colorado Springs are in different states, so your take-home pay will shift even if your gross salary stays flat. See our paycheck calculator for the exact difference.
- Commute and transportation. Gas, insurance, and tolls vary by metro. Check whether your new commute is longer or shorter.
- Healthcare network coverage. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, confirm your preferred doctors and hospitals are in-network in Colorado Springs.
Run these through our cost-of-living calculator with your actual salary to get a personalized answer.