Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Amherst, MA and in Austin, TX: $2,759 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

134

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

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

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,759

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Amherst, MA versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Amherst, MA $2,759
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Amherst, MA versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Amherst, MA $4,250
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Amherst, MA versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Amherst, MA $5,742
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 4% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 104% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$20.77 $20.77

-1.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$84.6 $84.6

-18.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$12.32 $12.32

-25.49%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$5.63 $5.63

-13.68%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$3.72 $3.72

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.50 $2.50

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$8.05 $8.05

-26.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.63 $10.63

$9.01 $9.01

17.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.12 $1.12

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.75 $3.75

-15.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.26 $3.26

118.40%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$4.17 $4.17

12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$12.90 $12.90

26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$14.16 $14.16

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$16.22 $16.22

11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.33 $4.33

11.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.46 $1.46

-6.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.51 $4.51

-27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.34 $4.34

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.58 $2.58

25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.35 $2.35

51.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.78 $1.78

24.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 $2.22

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$9.88 $9.88

5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$15.08 $15.08

-19.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.92 $2.92

-29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.46 $3.46

14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.49 $1.49

-13.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 $27.49

$41.72 $41.72

-34.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.73 $2.73

26.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.66 $1.66

-17.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.92 $29.92

$35.30 $35.30

-15.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.95 $0.95

-3.16%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.32%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-7.04%

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

$207 $207

$229 $229

-9.40%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$59.4 $59.4

-4.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 $90.5

$69.9 $69.9

29.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$57.2 $57.2

109.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 $7.15

$16.33 $16.33

-56.22%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 $10.64

$14.28 $14.28

-25.49%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$1,506 $1,506

0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-21.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.36 $44.36

$52.8 $52.8

-16.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$43.82 $43.82

-7.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$84.8 $84.8

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$103 $103

3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$1,907 $1,907

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$1,274 $1,274

5.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,664 $3,664

8.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$2,538 $2,538

5.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 $4,010

$7,614 $7,614

-47.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,000 $4,000

$3,157 $3,157

26.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$5,121 $5,121

-6.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.79

-10.16%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 5.1% $68

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$433 15.7%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 6.6% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$355 12.9%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 1% $3.5

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$318 11.5%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 11.3% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$141 5.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 39.2% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$127 4.6%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 1.1% $1.4

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$43 1.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 36.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Amherst, MA and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $433 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

04:57 4:57 AM

03:57 3:57 AM

1 h behind Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

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

Amherst, MA Austin, TX 2,610 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, 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

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

Austin, TX is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and leisure. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,826 in Amherst, MA versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,513 in Amherst, MA versus $1,506 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

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.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.