Cost of Living Comparison Between Abilene, TX and Fort Walton Beach, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Abilene, TX and Fort Walton Beach, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,147 in Abilene, TX versus $2,191 in Fort Walton Beach, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Abilene, TX versus $3,334 in Fort Walton Beach, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,202 in Abilene, TX versus $4,478 in Fort Walton Beach, FL.

Living in Abilene, TX costs roughly 2% less than in Fort Walton Beach, FL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abilene, TX 56% above, Fort Walton Beach, FL 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$15.26 $15.26

16.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 $59.2

$81.5 $81.5

-27.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$10.60 $10.60

-16.51%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$4.86 $4.86

2.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.71 $2.71

-12.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.00 $2.00

-8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.08 $5.08

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$6.90 $6.90

29.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.94 $2.94

12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.03 $2.03

8.37%

Eggs

$3.69 $3.69

$3.00 $3.00

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 $11.72

$11.21 $11.21

4.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 $13.11

$10.20 $10.20

28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$13.53 $13.53

5.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.43 $3.43

-2.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.60 $1.60

84.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.11 $3.11

48.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.98 $2.98

75.17%

Potato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.39 $1.39

204.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.01 $2.01

80.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.77 $1.77

36.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.48 $1.48

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.64 $7.64

$9.00 $9.00

-15.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.33 $8.33

36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.91 $1.91

32.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.98 $1.98

103.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.02 $2.02

-14.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 $53.5

$50.2 $50.2

6.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 $6.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.93 $44.93

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.86 $0.86

-2.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.3K $19.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-25.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$164 $164

$172 $172

-4.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$50.1 $50.1

38.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$63.8 $63.8

-0.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.88 $19.88

$47.51 $47.51

-58.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$13.66 $13.66

-12.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,744 $1,744

$818 $818

113.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K $13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.06 $42.06

$30.14 $30.14

39.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 $28.97

$19.99 $19.99

44.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$96.7 $96.7

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$108 $108

-6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 $1,167

$1,662 $1,662

-29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 $959

$1,026 $1,026

-6.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 $1,845

$2,830 $2,830

-34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,964 $1,964

-19.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,705 $1,705

$4,846 $4,846

-64.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 $1,671

$5,089 $5,089

-67.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,321 $3,321

$3,235 $3,235

2.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abilene, TX: August 30, 2026

Last update for Fort Walton Beach, FL: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,167 in Abilene, TX and $1,662 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Abilene, TX pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Abilene, TX vs $81.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $302, with Fort Walton Beach, FL cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abilene, TX vs Fort Walton Beach, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abilene, TX and Fort Walton Beach, FL differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($2,147 vs $2,191 including rent). Abilene, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Abilene, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,167 in Abilene, TX versus $1,662 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abilene, TX – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $81.0 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,147 per month in Abilene, TX versus $2,191 in Fort Walton Beach, FL – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,147 in Abilene, TX versus $2,191 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Abilene, TX but tight or insufficient in Fort Walton Beach, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Abilene, TX the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Abilene, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.