$40K in Austin = $28,525 in Detroit

Your $40K salary in Austin (COL 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,525 in Detroit (COL 87). Detroit is cheaper — your money goes 29% further there.

$40K in Austin, TX
$2,728/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (66% of take-home)
Difficult
$28,525/yr in Detroit, MI
$1,848/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (65% of take-home)
Difficult

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Austin
$40K
Detroit
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,728$2,592
1BR rent$1,800$1,200
Groceries$372$369
Transport$50$65
Utilities$170$175
Internet$65$60
Left after essentials$271/month$723/month
To match your Austin purchasing power in Detroit, you'd need to earn $28,525/year (29% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $-21/mo left after essentials — vs $271/mo in Austin.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in Austin equivalent to in Detroit?

$40K in Austin (COL index 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,525 in Detroit (COL index 87). That's 29% less than your current salary.

If I move from Austin to Detroit keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Detroit, you'd have $452 more per month after core expenses — because Detroit is cheaper than Austin.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $40K × (87 ÷ 122) = $28,525. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Austin to Detroit

$50K → $35,656$60K → $42,787$75K → $53,484$80K → $57,049$100K → $71,311$120K → $85,574$150K → $106,967
$40K in Detroit → AustinMoving from Austin to DetroitAustin vs Detroit — full comparisonCan I afford Austin vs Detroit on $40K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only