Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Austin, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashburn, VA and Austin, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,321 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,706 in Austin, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,445 in Ashburn, VA versus $4,169 in Austin, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,570 in Ashburn, VA versus $5,633 in Austin, TX.

Living in Ashburn, VA is roughly 23% more expensive than in Austin, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashburn, VA 149% above, Austin, TX 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$19.70 $19.70

-0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$76.0 $76.0

3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.86 $9.86

33.16%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.48 $5.48

4.20%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.65 $2.65

5.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.09 $2.09

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.09 $6.09

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.15 $8.15

-0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.10 $1.10

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.39 $3.39

7.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.38 $3.38

78.70%

Eggs

$5.04 $5.04

$4.39 $4.39

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$12.10 $12.10

56.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$10.84 $10.84

17.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.99 $21.99

$14.68 $14.68

49.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$4.96 $4.96

13.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.51 $1.51

17.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.40 $4.40

62.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.10 $4.10

56.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.81 $2.81

22.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.87 $2.87

-3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.95 $1.95

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.18 $2.18

13.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$8.99 $8.99

-10.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.69 $17.69

$15.11 $15.11

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.33 $2.33

-26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.43 $3.43

9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.54 $1.54

44.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 $73.0

$44.15 $44.15

65.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.83 $1.83

-27.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$34.65 $34.65

-14.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.78 $0.78

3.85%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.55%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

-2.71%

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

$207 $207

$175 $175

18.32%

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

$62.0 $62.0

$59.7 $59.7

3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$65.5 $65.5

3.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.9 $61.9

$61.3 $61.3

1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 $12.15

$9.89 $9.89

22.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$14.76 $14.76

0.20%

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

$1,719 $1,719

$1,372 $1,372

25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$22.2K $22.2K

8.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.98 $46.98

$56.5 $56.5

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 $47.73

$45.29 $45.29

5.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$85.0 $85.0

14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$118 $118

24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 $1,946

$2,201 $2,201

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 $1,817

$1,403 $1,403

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,101 $4,101

$3,815 $3,815

7.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$2,680 $2,680

-16.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 $2,952

$7,133 $7,133

-58.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 $3,172

$3,078 $3,078

3.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,682 $7,682

$5,110 $5,110

50.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.45

1.86%

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

Last update for Ashburn, VA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,946 in Ashburn, VA and $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ashburn, VA pays 50% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Ashburn, VA vs $76.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $379 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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

Ashburn, VA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashburn, VA and Austin, TX differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($3,321 vs $2,706 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Ashburn, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,946 in Ashburn, VA versus $2,201 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,719 in Ashburn, VA versus $1,372 in Austin, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Ashburn, VA. 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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ashburn, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.