Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Amarillo, TX: $2,282 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amarillo, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,282
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Amarillo, TX vs $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amarillo, TX $2,282
  • Austin, TX $2,698

A couple spends around $3,529 per month in Amarillo, TX vs $4,160 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amarillo, TX $3,529
  • Austin, TX $4,160

A family of three spends $4,775 per month in Amarillo, TX vs $5,622 in Austin, TX, rent included.

  • Amarillo, TX $4,775
  • Austin, TX $5,622

Amarillo, TX is about 15% cheaper than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX sit above the global median – Amarillo, TX by 68%, Austin, TX by 99%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.80 $14.80
$20.63 $20.63
-28.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 $68.3
$84.6 $84.6
-19.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.07 $13.07
$12.07 $12.07
8.29%
Cappuccino
$6.94 $6.94
$5.48 $5.48
26.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$3.80 $3.80
-39.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.47 $2.47
-36.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.09 $4.09
$8.05 $8.05
-49.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.14 $7.14
$8.88 $8.88
-19.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.11 $1.11
9.01%
White Bread (500g)
$3.23 $3.23
$3.72 $3.72
-13.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.39 $3.39
$3.37 $3.37
0.59%
Eggs
$4.44 $4.44
$4.32 $4.32
2.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.18 $16.18
$13.13 $13.13
23.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.66 $12.66
$14.15 $14.15
-10.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.71 $27.71
$16.33 $16.33
69.69%
Apples (1kg)
$4.26 $4.26
$4.55 $4.55
-6.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.46 $1.46
27.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.60 $4.60
$4.71 $4.71
-2.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 $3.90
$4.15 $4.15
-6.02%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$2.58 $2.58
-13.18%
Onion (1kg)
$2.81 $2.81
$2.35 $2.35
19.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.77 $1.77
-6.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$2.14 $2.14
20.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.01 $10.01
$10.10 $10.10
-0.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.78 $11.78
$15.19 $15.19
-22.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.82 $2.82
-26.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$3.44 $3.44
-40.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.54 $1.54
-35.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.99 $40.99
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.80 $2.80
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.60 $1.60
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$34.34 $34.34
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$0.94 $0.94
-6.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$34.0K $34.0K
-21.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K $26.2K
$26.8K $26.8K
-2.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$291 $291
$223 $223
30.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.2 $51.2
$58.9 $58.9
-13.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.2 $88.2
$70.6 $70.6
24.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 $60.8
$57.7 $57.7
5.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.53 $16.53
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.97 $9.97
$14.26 $14.26
-30.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 $706
$1,511 $1,511
-53.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$20.9K $20.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.68 $37.68
$51.3 $51.3
-26.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$44.17 $44.17
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.8 $60.8
$87.0 $87.0
-30.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$104 $104
13.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,118 $1,118
$1,940 $1,940
-42.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$949 $949
$1,316 $1,316
-27.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 $1,833
$3,664 $3,664
-49.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,979 $1,979
$2,565 $2,565
-22.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,848 $1,848
$7,354 $7,354
-74.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,603 $1,603
$3,129 $3,129
-48.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amarillo, TX
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,827 $3,827
$5,286 $5,286
-27.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.12
6.79
-9.87%

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

Last update for Amarillo, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amarillo, TX
$949
Austin, TX
$1.3K 38.7% $367
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amarillo, TX
$431
Austin, TX
$352 18.3% $79
Groceries & Markets
Amarillo, TX
$429
Austin, TX
$406 5.3% $23
Eating Out
Amarillo, TX
$291
Austin, TX
$350 20.3% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Amarillo, TX
$97 *
Austin, TX
$129 32.4% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Amarillo, TX
$81
Austin, TX
$86 6.8% $5.5
Getting Around
Amarillo, TX
$4 *
Austin, TX
$58 1366% $54

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,118 in Amarillo, TX 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 38% 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 $68.0 in Amarillo, TX versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $429 in Amarillo, TX vs $406 in Austin, TX – so Austin, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Amarillo, TX
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
02:18 2:18 AM
02:18 2:18 AM
Same time as Amarillo, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
198,645
974,447
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amarillo, TX Austin, TX 660 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Amarillo, TX
  • 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
Amarillo, TX vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Amarillo, TX and in Austin, TX compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,282 in Amarillo, TX, $2,698 in Austin, TX – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Amarillo, TX compared to Austin, TX?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,423 per month in Amarillo, TX and $4,046 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Amarillo, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Amarillo, TX and $85.0 in Austin, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Austin, TX – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Amarillo, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,282, than in Austin, TX at $2,698. In Amarillo, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Amarillo, TX or Austin, TX?
Families tend to lean toward Amarillo, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Amarillo, TX and Austin, TX?
If budget matters most, go with Amarillo, TX. 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.

Amarillo, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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