Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Acton, MA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,193 in Acton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Acton, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

154

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,193

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Acton, MA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Acton, MA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,193 per month in Acton, MA vs $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Acton, MA $3,193
Austin, TX $2,663

A couple spends around $4,790 per month in Acton, MA vs $4,133 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Acton, MA $4,790
Austin, TX $4,133

A family of three spends $6,388 per month in Acton, MA vs $5,603 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Acton, MA $6,388
Austin, TX $5,603

Acton, MA costs about 20% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Acton, MA and Austin, TX sit above the global median – Acton, MA by 136%, Austin, TX by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 $18.14

$20.77 $20.77

-12.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$84.6 $84.6

13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.47 $13.47

$12.32 $12.32

9.33%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$5.63 $5.63

-3.37%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.72 $3.72

-24.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.50 $2.50

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$8.05 $8.05

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$9.01 $9.01

-13.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.12 $1.12

-15.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 $2.29

$3.75 $3.75

-38.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.26 $3.26

61.96%

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$4.17 $4.17

14.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$12.90 $12.90

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$14.16 $14.16

2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 $17.87

$16.22 $16.22

10.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.33 $4.33

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.46 $1.46

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$4.51 $4.51

-36.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.34 $4.34

-6.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.58 $2.58

-25.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.35 $2.35

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.78 $1.78

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 $13.62

$9.88 $9.88

37.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$15.08 $15.08

-39.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.92 $2.92

-25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.46 $3.46

23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.95 $0.95

-2.11%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.92%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.80%

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

$316 $316

$229 $229

38.05%

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

$60.8 $60.8

$59.4 $59.4

2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$69.9 $69.9

4.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.68 $24.68

$57.2 $57.2

-56.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$14.28 $14.28

-9.59%

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

$1,857 $1,857

$1,506 $1,506

23.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$21.5K $21.5K

39.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 $57.5

$52.8 $52.8

8.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 $38.97

$43.82 $43.82

-11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$84.8 $84.8

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,698 $2,698

$1,907 $1,907

41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 $1,898

$1,274 $1,274

49.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,948 $2,948

$3,664 $3,664

-19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,557 $3,557

$2,538 $2,538

40.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,016 $9,016

$5,121 $5,121

76.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.79

-2.21%

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

Last update for Acton, MA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.5%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 32.9% $624

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Acton, MA

$450 14.1%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 20.4% $92

Groceries & Markets

Acton, MA

$354 * 11.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 14.3% $51

Eating Out

Acton, MA

$314 9.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 12.8% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Acton, MA

$126 3.9%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 1.9% $2.4

Sport & Entertainment

Acton, MA

$51 1.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 69.9% $35

Getting Around

Acton, MA

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,698 in Acton, MA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Acton, MA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96.0 in Acton, MA versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $354 in Acton, MA vs $405 in Austin, TX – so Acton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h behind Acton, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,596

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Acton, MA Austin, TX 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Acton, MA
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Acton, MA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acton, MA costs about 20% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,789 per month in Acton, MA and $3,995 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,193 in Acton, MA and $2,663 in Austin, TX. That's a gap of about 20%.

Kindergarten costs $1,857 per month in Acton, MA and $1,506 in Austin, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,193 in Acton, MA and $2,663 in Austin, TX. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Austin, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Austin, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acton, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.