That's a very valid point. Look, if for political reasons you want to avoid the more "liberal" politics of a city, then Austin wont be the right for you. Hell it was never right for ya bc Austin has been more liberal than most Texas metropolitan cities for years. Come back to today, lets face it. Austin is the homebase for "expat" Californians. It's expensive, getting overcrowded, homelessness, and idiotic policies.
But like Bob said, if your main concern is the cost of living, there are other bases that can offer better chances for that. Of course, with todays inflated prices all over the country and high interest rates it can be quite a pickle. If you want remain in Texas, then Austin is your best bet at this time, you will most likely tho have to move far from the city to find something more reasonable that's for sure. That's just a fact for sure. Good luck partner.