Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alpharetta, GA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,008 in Alpharetta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alpharetta, GA, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Alpharetta, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,008
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,607
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alpharetta, GA 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 Alpharetta, GA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,008 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

  • Alpharetta, GA $3,008
  • Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,289 in Alpharetta, GA versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

  • Alpharetta, GA $4,289
  • Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Alpharetta, GA versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

  • Alpharetta, GA $5,570
  • Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Alpharetta, GA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Alpharetta, GA 121% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.37 $26.37
$20.35 $20.35
29.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.5 $78.5
$84.7 $84.7
-7.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.99 $9.99
$12.12 $12.12
-17.57%
Cappuccino
$4.70 $4.70
$5.65 $5.65
-16.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.68 $3.68
-29.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$2.36 $2.36
-13.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.78 $5.78
$7.87 $7.87
-26.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.41 $7.41
$8.82 $8.82
-15.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.14 $1.14
-20.18%
White Bread (500g)
$4.23 $4.23
$3.69 $3.69
14.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.74 $5.74
$3.31 $3.31
73.41%
Eggs
$4.44 $4.44
$4.15 $4.15
6.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.44 $11.44
$12.98 $12.98
-11.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.84 $8.84
$13.86 $13.86
-36.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.89 $19.89
$16.34 $16.34
21.73%
Apples (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.69 $4.69
-3.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$1.45 $1.45
53.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.09 $4.09
$5.11 $5.11
-19.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$4.52 $4.52
1.99%
Potato (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$3.08 $3.08
20.45%
Onion (1kg)
$3.76 $3.76
$2.38 $2.38
57.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.36 $2.36
$1.80 $1.80
31.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.22 $2.22
23.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.14 $9.14
$9.97 $9.97
-8.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$15.05 $15.05
-1.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$2.91 $2.91
-41.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 $4.01
$3.33 $3.33
20.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.53 $2.53
$1.22 $1.22
107.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.6 $96.6
$40.53 $40.53
138.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.78 $2.78
10.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.42 $2.42
$1.65 $1.65
46.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.80 $39.80
$35.39 $35.39
12.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$0.95 $0.95
-6.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K $33.0K
$34.2K $34.2K
-3.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$26.8K $26.8K
2.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$255 $255
$223 $223
14.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.7 $53.7
$58.5 $58.5
-8.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$87.2 $87.2
$71.2 $71.2
22.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 $50.3
$53.0 $53.0
-5.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.10 $22.10
$16.75 $16.75
31.94%
Cinema Ticket
$17.20 $17.20
$14.06 $14.06
22.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,308 $1,308
$1,459 $1,459
-10.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K $15.6K
$21.3K $21.3K
-27.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.9 $77.9
$52.5 $52.5
48.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.07 $44.07
$42.75 $42.75
3.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 $128
$86.4 $86.4
48.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139 $139
$104 $104
33.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,981 $1,981
$2,112 $2,112
-6.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$1,230 $1,230
18.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,740 $2,740
$3,863 $3,863
-29.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,212 $2,212
$2,407 $2,407
-8.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,068 $4,068
$7,426 $7,426
-45.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,526 $2,526
$3,060 $3,060
-17.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alpharetta, GA
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,367 $6,367
$5,179 $5,179
22.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.84
6.82
0.29%

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

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alpharetta, GA
$1.5K
Austin, TX
$1.2K 15.6% $228
Groceries & Markets
Alpharetta, GA
$413
Austin, TX
$410 0.8% $3.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alpharetta, GA
$396
Austin, TX
$353 10.9% $43
Eating Out
Alpharetta, GA
$360
Austin, TX
$348 3.2% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Alpharetta, GA
$175
Austin, TX
$128 26.7% $47
Getting Around
Alpharetta, GA
$122
Austin, TX
$56 53.7% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Alpharetta, GA
$85
Austin, TX
$81 4.2% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,981 in Alpharetta, GA and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 23% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $78 in Alpharetta, GA vs $85 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $410, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Alpharetta, GA
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
14:06 2:06 PM
13:06 1:06 PM
1 h behind Alpharetta, GA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
65,799
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alpharetta, GA Austin, TX 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Alpharetta, GA
  • 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
Alpharetta, GA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austin, TX cheaper than Alpharetta, GA?
Austin, TX is cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and eating out. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Alpharetta, GA or Austin, TX?
Average pay runs 23% higher in Alpharetta, GA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Alpharetta, GA and Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,981 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,308 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,459 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Alpharetta, GA or in Austin, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Alpharetta, GA – a meal for two runs $78 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 enough to cover costs in Alpharetta, GA or in Austin, TX?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Alpharetta, GA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Alpharetta, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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