$40K in Austin = $27,213 in Memphis

Your $40K salary in Austin (COL 122) has the same purchasing power as $27,213 in Memphis (COL 83). Memphis is cheaper — your money goes 32% further there.

$40K in Austin, TX
$2,728/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (66% of take-home)
Difficult
$27,213/yr in Memphis, TN
$1,856/mo take-home
Rent: $1,100/mo (59% 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
Memphis
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,728$2,728
1BR rent$1,800$1,100
Groceries$372$357
Transport$50$55
Utilities$170$170
Internet$65$55
Left after essentials$271/month$991/month
To match your Austin purchasing power in Memphis, you'd need to earn $27,213/year (32% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $119/mo left after essentials — vs $271/mo in Austin.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Austin (COL index 122) has the same purchasing power as $27,213 in Memphis (COL index 83). That's 32% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Memphis, you'd have $720 more per month after core expenses — because Memphis 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 × (83 ÷ 122) = $27,213. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Austin to Memphis

$50K → $34,016$60K → $40,820$75K → $51,025$80K → $54,426$100K → $68,033$120K → $81,639$150K → $102,049
$40K in Memphis → AustinMoving from Austin to MemphisAustin vs Memphis — full comparisonCan I afford Austin vs Memphis on $40K?

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