$40K in Austin = $28,197 in Lincoln

Your $40K salary in Austin (COL 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,197 in Lincoln (COL 86). Lincoln is cheaper — your money goes 30% further there.

$40K in Austin, TX
$2,728/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (66% of take-home)
Difficult
$28,197/yr in Lincoln, NE
$1,787/mo take-home
Rent: $1,150/mo (64% 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
Lincoln
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,728$2,535
1BR rent$1,800$1,150
Groceries$372$357
Transport$50$48
Utilities$170$152
Internet$65$58
Left after essentials$271/month$770/month
To match your Austin purchasing power in Lincoln, you'd need to earn $28,197/year (30% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $22/mo left after essentials — vs $271/mo in Austin.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Austin (COL index 122) has the same purchasing power as $28,197 in Lincoln (COL index 86). That's 30% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Lincoln, you'd have $499 more per month after core expenses — because Lincoln 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 × (86 ÷ 122) = $28,197. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Austin to Lincoln

$50K → $35,246$60K → $42,295$75K → $52,869$80K → $56,393$100K → $70,492$120K → $84,590$150K → $105,738
$40K in Lincoln → AustinMoving from Austin to LincolnAustin vs Lincoln — full comparisonCan I afford Austin vs Lincoln on $40K?

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