Exterior House Painting cost: Austin vs Pasadena (2026)
In 2026, exterior house painting is about 5% more expensive in Austin than in Pasadena. Most homeowners pay around $3,250 in Austin versus $3,100 in Pasadena — a gap of roughly $150.
Austin TX
Typically around $3,250
Pasadena TX
Lower costTypically around $3,100
Austin vs Pasadena: full breakdown
| Factor | Austin | Pasadena |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 2026 cost | $3,250 | $3,100 |
| Estimated range | $1,850–$4,600 | $1,750–$4,400 |
| Labor index (vs US) | ×0.99 | ×0.95 |
| Climate zone | Hot | Hot |
| Climate factor | ×1.03 | ×1.03 |
| Local permit | None | None |
| Labor share | $2,300 | $2,150 |
| Materials/equipment | $950 | $950 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
Is the price difference a dealbreaker?
5% is within noise for exterior house painting — contractor selection and timing move the price more than which of these two metros you're in.
Exterior house painting by type: Austin vs Pasadena
We localize each exterior house painting type separately for both metros, applying the same labor, climate and permit adjustments each time, so you're comparing like for like.
| Type | Austin | Pasadena |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $1,750–$4,100 | $1,650–$3,900 |
| Wood siding | $1,950–$4,600 | $1,850–$4,400 |
| Fiber-cement | $2,250–$5,200 | $2,150–$5,000 |
| Stucco | $2,250–$5,100 | $2,150–$4,900 |
| Brick | $2,550–$5,600 | $2,450–$5,400 |
Exterior house painting numbers here are 2026 planning ranges, adjusted per city — useful for budgeting, not a substitute for an actual quote.
Exterior house painting by home size: Austin vs Pasadena
Exterior painting is priced by the siding area, which tracks home size and the number of stories. Expect roughly $1–$4 per square foot of wall area; prep — scraping, sanding, and washing — often costs as much as the paint itself.
| Size | Austin | Pasadena |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft home (1 story) | $1,550–$3,550 | $1,450–$3,450 |
| 1,500 sq ft home | $1,850–$4,600 | $1,750–$4,400 |
| 2,000 sq ft home | $2,250–$5,600 | $2,150–$5,400 |
| 2,500 sq ft home (2 story) | $3,050–$7,150 | $2,950–$6,850 |
| 3,000 sq ft home | $3,900–$8,700 | $3,750–$8,350 |
| 3,500+ sq ft home | $4,600–$10,200 | $4,400–$9,800 |
Localized 2026 planning estimates — not quotes. Each city adjusts the national exterior house painting range for local labor, climate and permits.
What painting pros earn in each metro
Roughly 70% of what you pay for exterior house painting is labor, which is why local wages explain most of the price gap. The numbers below are actual metro wages for skilled installers, sourced from BLS OEWS — not guesses.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro · about 1% below the US average installer wage.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro · about 7% below the US average installer wage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metro wages for HVAC installers (used as a trade-labor index).
Cheapest time for exterior house painting in either city
Summer's exterior-painting rush is really a weather requirement, not a preference, and prices reflect it. Interior work has no such requirement, making the trade's quiet winter months the cheapest time to book it.
What are you really paying for in a paint job?
Paint is the smallest line item in a painting budget — prep and labor are where the real cost sits. Our editors on where to actually spend.
The prep-first case
Most of a durable coat is what happens to the surface first: filling holes, scuffing old sheen so the paint grips, sealing seams. Premium paint over an unwashed, unsanded wall fails just as fast as the bargain stuff. Spend on the hours a crew puts into the wall, not the label on the bucket.
The coverage case
A quote that promises 'one coat, done' is usually promising a thin film that telegraphs whatever was underneath. Primer and two finish coats is what holds the color and buries the old wall. Put both in writing; otherwise the cheaper bid is just less product spread further.
The timing case
Book interior rooms during the slow winter stretch and you get first-string crews without the summer premium. Outside work can't be pushed against the weather: wait until the siding is dry and temperatures hold, or the coat fails to bond and the whole wall comes back around.
Two numbers matter more than the total: how many hours go into prep and how many coats land on the wall. Get both right — real surface work, primer under two finish coats, timed to the season — and the result outlasts anything you'd save on the cheapest quote.
Austin vs Pasadena
Is exterior house painting cheaper in Austin or Pasadena?
Yes — Austin costs more. Expect around $3,250 for exterior house painting there against $3,100 in Pasadena, about $150 (5%) apart in 2026.
Why does exterior house painting cost more in Austin than Pasadena?
Austin's higher labor index (0.99 vs 0.95 in Pasadena) is the biggest factor, with the hot/hot climate split playing a smaller role.
How much is exterior house painting in Austin, TX?
Expect to pay $1,850 to $4,600 for exterior house painting in Austin in 2026, averaging around $3,250.
Do painting pros really charge more in one city?
It's not a myth — BLS data puts installer wages at about $30.7/hr in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos area and $29/hr in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands. Given labor is around 70% of a exterior house painting job's cost, that gap explains most of the price spread.
When is the cheapest time to buy exterior house painting — and does it differ by city?
The best window is the same in both Austin and Pasadena: Winter for interior; dry spring/fall for exterior, when demand drops and installers discount to keep crews busy — typically 10–20% (interior, off-season) off peak pricing. The most expensive time anywhere is an emergency replacement during mid-summer (exterior peak).
Should I choose where to live based on exterior house painting cost?
Not really — the $150 gap is one-time, and smart timing and tighter quotes in Austin can shrink it. Factors that compound over time, like energy prices and home condition, deserve more weight than a single upfront difference.
Compare exterior house painting in other cities
Updated June 2026 · By Serhat Özçelik