Pricier homes, no state income tax: what changes in this move
Both cities run hot, so the heat is not the big change. Housing is. A median Austin home is worth $512,700 against $381,900 in Phoenix, which makes it 34% higher, and rent follows at $1,655 a month in Austin against $1,458 in Phoenix. The price of the move itself is shown in the range at the top of this page.
Austin is also the smaller city, at 967,862 residents against 1,624,832 in Phoenix. Its overall price index for 2024 (U.S. = 100) is 98 against 103 for Phoenix, so everyday spending is not where the jump comes from. It comes from what you pay to live under a roof.
Texas has no state income tax, which affects your paycheck but not your housing bill.
Houses in Phoenix, apartment buildings in Austin: what drives the quote
Weight and home size set the base of any long-distance quote. Packing, storage and other add-on services come on top. Then comes the access at each address: stairs, elevators, and long carries from the truck to your door.
This is where the two cities differ. In Phoenix, 60% of homes are detached houses and 26% sit in buildings of five or more units. In Austin the split is 44% detached and 42% in buildings of five or more units. If you load from a house with a driveway and land in an apartment tower, the work at the Austin end is different: elevator reservations, loading docks, a parking permit for the truck, and a carry from a distant space.
Ask each mover how they plan to handle access at both ends, and tell them the building type before the survey so the quote reflects it.
Ask for a survey and a loading window early
Start requesting quotes as soon as your Austin plans are firm, and ask each company for a loading window rather than a single date. A date can slip; a window gives you room to plan around it.
An interstate mover usually quotes delivery as a range of business days after pickup. On this route, quotes of 7 to 14 business days are common, but that is a quote and not a promise, and it can stretch with the carrier and with whether your shipment shares a truck with others. Get the window in writing and ask what happens if it is missed.
Plan for the gap between move-out in Phoenix and delivery in Austin. A short-term stay, an air mattress and an essentials bag you carry yourself are enough for it.
To compare companies, find movers in the directory or start with movers in Phoenix for the pickup end.
What the Arizona-to-Texas paperwork must say
On a move from Phoenix to Austin, ask for a binding estimate, or a not-to-exceed price, which is a common kind of binding quote: you pay that amount at delivery plus any services you added after signing and up to 15% for impracticable operations, with anything above that billed later, whereas on a non-binding estimate the mover must release your goods once you pay 110% of the estimate and bills any remaining balance after 30 days from delivery. Because Arizona and Texas are different states, federal rules require the written estimate to rest on a physical survey, in person or by live or recorded video, unless you waive it in writing, so a sight-unseen phone quote is a red flag. For your belongings on this move, Full Value Protection applies automatically, meaning the mover must repair, replace or pay the replacement value, whereas Released Value, at 60 cents per pound per article, applies only if you sign a written waiver choosing it, and neither is insurance.
Ask about third-party moving insurance for artwork, electronics and antiques.
Where to look in Austin, by commute and price
Austin is a city of separate areas, and the right one depends on your commute, schools, green space and budget. Keep the building question in mind as you read these five, because the apartment-heavy areas change how moving day works.
- South Congress / South Austin (78704): Walkable and eclectic. Rents run higher close to the strip.
- Round Rock and Pflugerville (north suburbs): More affordable, with strong school districts and easy access to the Domain and the tech employers along the MoPac corridor.
- Cedar Park and Leander (northwest): Fast-growing suburbs with newer construction and a growing food and retail scene. The MetroRail line into downtown makes a car-optional commute possible.
- East Austin (78702): Dense and increasingly pricey, with some of the best restaurants and coffee shops in the city.
- Bee Cave and Lakeway (west): Closer to Lake Travis and quieter. The drive downtown is longer, but the quality of life is strong.
Once you have a shortlist, look at movers in Austin for companies familiar with local logistics. Parking, HOA access and building elevator reservations can all affect your move-in day.
Renting first or buying: the Austin housing gap
With 56% of Austin households renting, against 43% in Phoenix, a lease is an easy way to learn the city before you choose a neighborhood to buy in. The median rent of $1,655 a month is 14% above Phoenix, so budget for that step up from the first month.
If you plan to buy, the 34% gap in home values matters more than the rent gap. Median household income is $91,461 in Austin against $77,041 in Phoenix, so run your own numbers before you set a price ceiling.
On taxes, Arizona charges a 2.5% flat income tax and Texas has none. On a $100,000 income that is roughly $2,500 a year, though you should check the current Arizona rate before you rely on it. Property taxes in Texas are notably higher than in Arizona, which counts against the saving if you buy. Talk to a local CPA before you treat the income-tax change as a clean win.
Dry heat to humid heat, and a different storm season
Heat. Phoenix summers are extremely dry, with highs routinely above 110 °F from June through September. Austin summers are long and regularly top 100 °F, but the air is humid and feels heavier. Expect an adjustment period.
Storms. Phoenix brings haboobs (dust storms) and wildfire smoke in summer. Austin brings severe thunderstorms and tornado risk in spring, and the occasional winter ice storm. The February 2021 freeze knocked out power and water across the state for days. When you arrive, find your shutoff valves and set up a weather alert app on day one.
Your belongings. Wooden furniture, musical instruments and artwork that spent years in Phoenix's dry air can warp, swell or crack in Austin's humidity over time. Climate-controlled storage and a few weeks to acclimate help.
Traffic. Phoenix's street grid is easy to read. Austin's layout is shaped by hills, lakes and an older road network, and I-35 through downtown is notoriously congested. Scout your commute during your first weeks.
Timing. June through September loads in Phoenix happen in 110 °F heat, which is hard on crews and on furniture. The ice-storm risk in Austin falls in January and February, and tornado season in spring. Pick your dates with weather at both ends in mind.
Choosing a mover for the Arizona-to-Texas haul
This is a long-distance interstate job, not a drive-it-yourself one. Work through these steps in order:
- Look up the company's USDOT and MC numbers in the FMCSA mover search before you sign anything.
- Collect at least three binding estimates from companies that do an in-home or video survey, not a phone quote.
- Read reviews on review platforms and look for comments on delivery timing and claims handling, not only the pickup.
- Check which kind of company you are hiring. On FMCSA's search, "Motor Carrier of Household Goods" means the company moves you, while "Broker of Household Goods" means it hands the job to another carrier.
- Get the delivery window in writing.
Majestic Moving Companies is a directory that connects you with licensed movers. We do not move, pack or store anything.
Our team has 35+ years of hands-on service-provider experience, including an operator who ran a moving company for 18 years.
You can browse by state to see licensed movers working across Arizona and Texas.
First weeks in Texas: your license, your car and your tax paperwork
Plan these in this order once the truck is unloaded:
- Driver license: Get a Texas license from the Texas DPS within 90 days of establishing residency.
- Vehicle registration: Register your car within 30 days. Bring proof of Texas auto insurance and your title, and pay a $7.50 fee in place of a safety inspection, since most cars no longer need one as of January 1, 2025. Emissions tests still apply in the Austin area and the other big metro counties. Handle this at your county tax-assessor-collector office.
- New-resident tax: If the car was already registered in your name in another state, a $90 new-resident tax applies instead of sales tax.
Questions for this Arizona-to-Texas move
How many business days after pickup in Phoenix should delivery land in Austin?
Movers often quote 7 to 14 business days, but no law sets a number. Your written delivery window is what counts, and the mover must give 24 hours' notice before delivery. Ask what happens if the window is missed before you sign.
Does the move from Arizona to Texas change what I pay in state income tax?
Arizona's 2.5% flat income tax goes away, because Texas has no state income tax. On $100,000 of income that is about $2,500 a year. Texas property taxes are among the highest in the country, so anyone buying should model both together.
What do I have to do for Texas within the first 90 days?
Register the car within 30 days and get a Texas driver license within 90 days. Bring proof of Texas insurance and your title, and expect the $7.50 fee in place of a safety inspection and possible emissions testing in the Austin area.
What should I ask a mover who quotes Phoenix to Austin by phone?
Ask for an in-home or video survey of your inventory. Without one, a quote cannot give you a sound binding estimate, and a binding estimate is what caps the price at the agreed scope of services.
What if I am loading in a Phoenix house but unloading in an Austin apartment?
Tell every mover before the survey. Elevator reservations, parking for the truck and long carries can all change the quote, and your Austin building may need advance notice.