Kitchen remodel cost in Austin, TX
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (120 sq ft)
- $17,200 – $29,300
- Per sq ft
- $139 – $231
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $25,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #259
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a kitchen remodel in the Austin area: $17,200 to $29,300 for 120 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 7% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.8).
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Estimated cost for 120 sq ft in Austin, TX, standard level
$20,800 to $25,600
About $167 to $204 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 19% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,000 | $19,600 |
| Labor | $3,950 | $4,850 |
| Permits and fees | $780 | $1,200 |
| Total | $20,800 | $25,600 |
Cost breakdown for 120 sq ft in Austin, TX
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,400 | $17,800 | $22,300 | 77% |
| Labor | $3,300 | $4,400 | $5,500 | 19% |
| Permits and fees | $490 | $980 | $1,450 | 4% |
| Total | $17,200 | $23,200 | $29,300 | 100% |
What is behind the Austin number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 6 trades: carpenters at 45%, electricians at 15%, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters at 15%, tile and stone setters at 10%, drywall and ceiling tile installers at 10%, painters, construction and maintenance at 5%. Weighted together, Austin wages are 0.88 times the national level. Labor makes up about 19% of the midpoint estimate (20% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Austin is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $19,000 nationally becomes $17,800 here (midpoint, 120 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 98.1: $490 to $1,450.
Data note: 10% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Austin. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Austin
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Austin. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (100 sq ft) to large kitchen (300 sq ft).
Basic
$17,200 to $22,000
Update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout
Standard
$20,800 to $25,600
Full remodel, mid-range finishes, some layout changes
Premium
$24,400 to $29,300
Large or custom remodel, high-end finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (100 sq ft) | $14,400 – $18,500 | $17,500 – $21,500 | $20,500 – $24,600 |
| 10x12 kitchen (120 sq ft) | $17,200 – $22,000 | $20,800 – $25,600 | $24,400 – $29,300 |
| average kitchen (200 sq ft) | $28,300 – $36,100 | $34,100 – $41,900 | $40,000 – $47,800 |
| large kitchen (300 sq ft) | $42,200 – $53,700 | $50,800 – $62,300 | $59,400 – $70,900 |
Is Austin cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Austin. College Station is the lowest at about $22,700 (midpoint, 120 sq ft), 75 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TXthis page | $17,200 – $29,300 | $23,200 | |
| Killeen, TX65 miles | $16,800 – $28,600 | $22,700 | −2% |
| College Station, TX75 miles | $16,800 – $28,600 | $22,700 | −2% |
| San Antonio, TX80 miles | $17,000 – $28,900 | $23,000 | −1% |
| Waco, TX95 miles | $16,900 – $28,800 | $22,800 | −2% |
| Houston, TX140 miles | $18,100 – $30,800 | $24,400 | +5% |
| Texas (statewide) | $17,700 – $30,100 | $23,900 | +3% |
| United States | $18,500 – $31,500 | $25,000 | +8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Austin ranks #259 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Austin is 3% below the Texas figure.
Elsewhere in Texas
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | 4,049,800 jobs | $18,400 – $31,400 | $24,900 | +7% |
| Houston, TX | 3,289,720 jobs | $18,100 – $30,800 | $24,400 | +5% |
| San Antonio, TX | 1,126,880 jobs | $17,000 – $28,900 | $23,000 | −1% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $16,600 – $28,300 | $22,500 | −3% |
| McAllen, TX | 296,700 jobs | $16,500 – $28,200 | $22,400 | −4% |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $17,000 – $28,900 | $23,000 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Austin against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO | 1,341,320 jobs | $19,100 – $32,500 | $25,800 | +11% |
| Portland, OR | 1,208,410 jobs | $20,500 – $34,900 | $27,700 | +19% |
| Baltimore, MD | 1,356,680 jobs | $18,800 – $32,000 | $25,400 | +9% |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1,136,960 jobs | $18,100 – $30,800 | $24,500 | +5% |
Who does the work: Austin trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 6 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Austin the blend is 0.88.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $24.16 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.05 and $28.01 an hour. About 2,540 work in the metro. That is 19.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 15%) the local median is $29.03 an hour, which is 4% below the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $22.97 and $35.25 an hour. BLS counts 7,340 of them working in the area, 56.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 15% of the weighting: a median of $30.20 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $23.44 and $38.32 an hour. About 5,260 work in the metro. That is 40.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Austin metro, so we used the Texas statewide median: $22.61 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $19.28 and $26.45 an hour.
For drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081, weighted 10%) the local median is $24.28 an hour, which is 14% below the national $28.33. The middle half of them earn between $22.25 and $29.58 an hour. BLS counts 710 of them working in the area, 5.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 5.3), so the local bench is about average.
Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141), 5% of the weighting: a median of $22.38 an hour, 6% below the US median of $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $19.81 and $23.59 an hour. About 1,860 work in the metro. That is 14.4 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 14.5 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $300 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $85. That is a swing of roughly 0.4% to 1.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has 1,293,690 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 24th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $23.05 | $24.16 | $28.01 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 15% | $22.97 | $29.03 | $35.25 | $30.38 | 0.96 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 15% | $23.44 | $30.20 | $38.32 | $30.67 | 0.98 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 10% | $19.28 | $22.61 | $26.45 | $26.77 | 0.84 | state |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $22.25 | $24.28 | $29.58 | $28.33 | 0.86 | metro |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 5% | $19.81 | $22.38 | $23.59 | $23.75 | 0.94 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.88 | |||||
Specs and site conditions that change a Austin bid
Permit
Kitchen remodel permits are $500-$1,500 and are usually based on project value.
Scope
A full kitchen update is $15,000-$50,000, a large remodel $50,000-$70,000+, and a partial refresh $60-$150 per square foot (HomeGuide).
Cabinets
In a 10x10 kitchen, cabinets alone are $3,000-$11,000 for stock or semi-custom and up to $26,500 for fully custom.
Related projects, priced for Austin
Jobs that often go together with kitchen remodel are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Austin wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, shower pan comes out highest (−7%) and home addition lowest (−11%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,900 – $12,600 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,300 – $21,400 | −8% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,100 – $13,800 | −8% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $33,800 – $68,700 | −11% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $860 – $2,600 | −7% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $270 – $1,350 | −10% |
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Kitchen remodel in Austin: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a kitchen in Austin?
For 120 sq ft, expect $17,200 to $29,300 in the Austin area. A standard-spec job lands at $20,800 to $25,600. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen remodel in Austin?
About $139 to $231 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $490 to $1,450 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $150 to $250.
+Is kitchen remodel cheaper in Austin or Killeen?
Killeen is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 120 sq ft there is $22,700, which is 2% less than Austin ($23,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Austin?
About 19% at the midpoint, or $4,400 out of $23,200. Materials are 77% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 20%.
+What would average kitchen (200 sq ft) cost in Austin?
$28,300 to $47,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen remodel need a permit in Austin?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $490 to $1,450 for fees in the Austin area (our national range of $500 to $1,500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Austin expensive for kitchen remodel compared with the rest of Texas?
Austin is 3% below the Texas statewide estimate ($23,900 at the midpoint). We cover 21 metros in Texas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Austin?
The BLS median is $24.16 an hour in the Austin area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.05 to $28.01.
+What do basic and premium kitchen remodel work cost in Austin?
For 120 sq ft, basic work runs $17,200 to $22,000 and premium work $24,400 to $29,300. Basic means: update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout. Premium means: large or custom remodel, high-end finishes.
Kitchen remodel near Austin
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 70% of the low installed price and 85% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that professional labor is 15-30% of a kitchen remodeling budget. Cost to Renovate's mid-range kitchen split (45% labor, 50% materials) sits inside that band.