$40K in Austin = $31,803 in Madison

Your $40K salary in Austin (COL 122) has the same purchasing power as $31,803 in Madison (COL 97). Madison is cheaper — your money goes 20% further there.

$40K in Austin, TX
$2,728/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (66% of take-home)
Difficult
$31,803/yr in Madison, WI
$1,965/mo take-home
Rent: $1,650/mo (84% 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
Madison
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,728$2,472
1BR rent$1,800$1,650
Groceries$372$384
Transport$50$62
Utilities$170$162
Internet$65$63
Left after essentials$271/month$151/month
To match your Austin purchasing power in Madison, you'd need to earn $31,803/year (20% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $-356/mo left after essentials — vs $271/mo in Austin.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Austin (COL index 122) has the same purchasing power as $31,803 in Madison (COL index 97). That's 20% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Madison, you'd have $-120 more per month after core expenses — because Madison 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 × (97 ÷ 122) = $31,803. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Austin to Madison

$50K → $39,754$60K → $47,705$75K → $59,631$80K → $63,607$100K → $79,508$120K → $95,410$150K → $119,262
$40K in Madison → AustinMoving from Austin to MadisonAustin vs Madison — full comparisonCan I afford Austin vs Madison on $40K?

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