Sovereign

Tech

UX Designer Salary · San Francisco vs Austin

Net pay, tax drag, and purchasing power modeled for 2025 offers. Built for relocating teams, expats, and comp committees.

Net pay

San Francisco

$114,158

25.1% effective rate

Net pay

Austin

$99,804

24.1% effective rate

Annual delta

Spread

+$14,354

San Francisco advantage

City

San Francisco

The epicenter of global technology, offering the highest base salaries adjusted for a fiercely competitive housing market.

Median professional income

$78,500

Role modeled

UX Designer

Gross base

$152,500

Net after tax

$114,158

Cost-of-living index

96

Rent index

98

City

Austin

A rapidly expanding tech hub benefiting from Texas’s zero state income tax policy.

Median professional income

$78,500

Role modeled

UX Designer

Gross base

$131,500

Net after tax

$99,804

Cost-of-living index

67

Rent index

56

Purchasing power

Net income vs lifestyle drag

San Francisco

$9,513

Housing$2,854
Essentials$1,903
Discretionary$2,378
Savings$2,378

Austin

$8,317

Housing$2,495
Essentials$1,663
Discretionary$2,079
Savings$2,079

Cost-of-living deep dive

Flip into the COL template for this exact pair. See rent burdens, discretionary drift, and PPP commentary.

Open COL page

Remote benchmark

Need a borderless baseline? Run the remote analyzer across our tier-one city basket.

Remote comparison

More combinations

Interlink into adjacent hubs to keep crawlers following the mesh.

Frequently asked

Who wins for UX Designer net pay: San Francisco or Austin?+
San Francisco keeps about $14,354 more after tax (25.1% effective rate) compared to Austin (24.1%).
How different are the cost-of-living profiles?+
San Francisco posts a cost-of-living index of 96 and rent index of 98. Austin comes in at 67 / 56. The purchasing power gap tightens once you factor in rent and lifestyle drift.
What salary uplift offsets Austin's taxes?+
You would need roughly $18,912 in additional gross compensation to match the same take-home pay in San Francisco.