Austin or San Jose

Based on 2026 cost of living data, Austin is more affordable than San Jose. Austin has a cost rating of 62/100, while San Jose has a cost rating of 84/100.

In terms of safety, San Jose ranks higher with a safety score of 78/100, compared to Austin at 82/100. Austin's safety score is 78/100 and San Jose's safety score is 82/100.

Average rent in Austin is typically $1,900 per month, whereas typical rent in San Jose averages $2,300 - $3,100 per month.

For Austin, the visa process is rated as: US Work Visas (Standard US H-1B, L-1, or O-1 pathways sponsored by booming tech employers.). For San Jose, the process is rated as: World Epicenter for H-1B, O-1 & EB-1 Sponsorship (Unrivaled employer sponsorship by Nvidia, Apple, Google, Adobe, Cisco, and thousands of AI startups.).