Is Los Angeles cheaper than Austin?

No. Austin is cheaper: typical rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,933 in Los Angeles — 11% lower. Median household income is $81,939 in Los Angeles compared with $93,658 in Austin, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Los Angeles or Austin?

Los Angeles is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 109 in Austin — 71% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Los Angeles or Austin?

Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Los Angeles — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Los Angeles, CA vs Austin, TX

Los Angeles, CA versus Austin, TX is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,933 a month in Los Angeles and $1,729 in Austin, and median household income lands at $81,939 versus $93,658. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Los Angeles takes safety and weather, while Austin takes affordability, job market, and schools. The widest gap is crime index, where Los Angeles leads by 71% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Los Angeles can feel further apart than Los Angeles and Austin do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Los Angeles and Austin reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Los Angeles report Full Austin report

Los Angeles, CA

Rent: $1,933/mo
Median income: $81,939
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 82°F

Austin, TX

Rent: $1,729/mo
Median income: $93,658
Crime index: 109
Schools: A
Weather: 90°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Austin rent is 11% cheaper than Los Angeles

Los Angeles

$1,933/mo

Austin

Winner

$1,729/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,729 a month in Austin versus $1,933 in Los Angeles, so Austin is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,448 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Austin still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Los Angeles.

Median income

14% higher

Austin's median income is 14% higher than Los Angeles

Los Angeles

$81,939

Austin

Winner

$93,658

What this means for your life

Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $81,939 in Los Angeles, so typical pay runs 14% higher in Austin — about $11,719 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Austin is the stronger labor market on paper. Los Angeles can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

71% lower crime

Los Angeles's crime index is 71% lower than Austin

Los Angeles

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

Austin

109 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Los Angeles's crime index is 32 versus 109 in Austin (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 71% lower in Los Angeles. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Los Angeles is the easier city. Austin can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Los Angeles

Los Angeles

A- · 84/100

Austin

Winner

A · 88/100

What this means for your life

Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Los Angeles — school scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Los Angeles is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

40% more comfortable

Los Angeles weather is 40% more comfortable than Austin

Los Angeles

Winner

82°F typical

Austin

90°F typical

What this means for your life

Los Angeles scores 40% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 82°F in Los Angeles and 90°F in Austin. Los Angeles reads as hot, long summers; Austin reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Los Angeles is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Austin can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Los Angeles

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Pick Los Angeles if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (82°F) beat Austin on this page's weather index by 40%. Austin may pay more or cost less, but Los Angeles is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Los Angeles is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 71% lower than Austin (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Los Angeles report →

Fit check

Who should choose Austin

Families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags

Austin fits families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags. Lower typical rent ($1,729/month) plus stronger school scores (A) is the combination that actually changes a decade of life, not just a year of housing. Los Angeles can still win if a specific campus or family network is already there — but on the public data, Austin is the more forgiving place to raise kids without overextending.

Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 14% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Austin report →

Bottom line

Los Angeles vs Austin, called

If safety is your priority, Los Angeles is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Austin pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Austin offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Los Angeles vs Austin FAQ

Is Los Angeles cheaper than Austin?: No. Austin is cheaper: typical rent is $1,729 a month versus $1,933 in Los Angeles — 11% lower. Median household income is $81,939 in Los Angeles compared with $93,658 in Austin, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Los Angeles or Austin?: Los Angeles is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 109 in Austin — 71% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Los Angeles or Austin?: Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Los Angeles — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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