Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Alton, IL: $1,895 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Alton, IL
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Alton, IL Living Index
129

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

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Alton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,895

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,895 per month in Alton, IL vs $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Alton, IL $1,895
Austin, TX $2,698

A couple spends around $2,862 per month in Alton, IL vs $4,160 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Alton, IL $2,862
Austin, TX $4,160

A family of three spends $3,829 per month in Alton, IL vs $5,622 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Alton, IL $3,829
Austin, TX $5,622

Alton, IL is about 30% cheaper than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Alton, IL and Austin, TX sit above the global median – Alton, IL by 40%, Austin, TX by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$20.63 $20.63

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 $55.6

$84.6 $84.6

-34.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$12.07 $12.07

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$5.48 $5.48

-9.67%

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

$1.46 $1.46

$3.80 $3.80

-61.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.47 $2.47

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 $3.89

$8.05 $8.05

-51.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$8.88 $8.88

-33.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.11 $1.11

-27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.72 $3.72

-30.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.37 $3.37

-7.12%

Eggs

$3.16 $3.16

$4.32 $4.32

-26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$13.13 $13.13

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$14.15 $14.15

-52.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.42 $23.42

$16.33 $16.33

43.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.55 $4.55

-6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.46 $1.46

-19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$4.71 $4.71

9.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$4.15 $4.15

17.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.58 $2.58

-14.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.35 $2.35

16.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.77 $1.77

18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.14 $2.14

-1.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$10.10 $10.10

9.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 $12.05

$15.19 $15.19

-20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.82 $2.82

-35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.44 $3.44

-22.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.80 $2.80

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.60 $1.60

5.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.94 $0.94

4.26%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.0K $34.0K

-18.01%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.89%

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

$331 $331

$223 $223

48.73%

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

$43.44 $43.44

$58.9 $58.9

-26.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$70.6 $70.6

10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.07 $27.07

$57.7 $57.7

-53.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 $11.95

$14.26 $14.26

-16.20%

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

$279 $279

$1,511 $1,511

-81.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.36 $40.36

$51.3 $51.3

-21.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$44.17 $44.17

-3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 $65.4

$87.0 $87.0

-24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 $76.1

$104 $104

-27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

$1,940 $1,940

-60.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 $627

$1,316 $1,316

-52.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 $1,099

$3,664 $3,664

-70.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$2,565 $2,565

-50.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,513 $1,513

$7,354 $7,354

-79.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,455 $1,455

$3,129 $3,129

-53.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,813 $3,813

$5,286 $5,286

-27.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-11.63%

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

Last update for Alton, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Alton, IL

$627 33.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 110% $689

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alton, IL

$452 23.9%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 22.1% $100

Groceries & Markets

Alton, IL

$349 18.4%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 16.3% $57

Eating Out

Alton, IL

$303 16%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 15.5% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Alton, IL

$101 5.3%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 27.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Alton, IL

$51 2.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 69.2% $35

Getting Around

Alton, IL

$11 * 0.6%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 407% $46

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $763 in Alton, IL versus $1,940 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 39% higher in Austin, TX, 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 $56.0 in Alton, IL versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $406 – making Alton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Alton, IL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:02 5:02 PM

Same time as Alton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,676

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

Alton, IL Austin, TX 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Alton, IL
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

Alton, IL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX costs about 42% more than Alton, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,842 per month in Alton, IL and $4,046 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alton, IL, 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 $1,895 in Alton, IL and $2,698 in Austin, TX. That's a gap of about 42%.

Kindergarten costs $279 per month in Alton, IL and $1,511 in Austin, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alton, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,895, than in Austin, TX at $2,698. In Alton, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alton, IL – 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 Alton, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.