Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,015 in Atlanta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
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Atlanta, GA Living Index
130

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

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Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,015 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $3,015
Austin, TX $2,663

A couple spends around $4,360 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $4,133 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $4,360
Austin, TX $4,133

A family of three spends $5,706 per month in Atlanta, GA vs $5,603 in Austin, TX, rent included.

Atlanta, GA $5,706
Austin, TX $5,603

Atlanta, GA costs about 13% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Atlanta, GA and Austin, TX sit above the global median – Atlanta, GA by 123%, Austin, TX by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.30 $30.30

$20.77 $20.77

45.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$84.6 $84.6

28.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$12.32 $12.32

-3.17%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

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

$2.65 $2.65

$3.72 $3.72

-28.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.50 $2.50

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$8.05 $8.05

-11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$9.01 $9.01

-12.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.12 $1.12

-25.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.75 $3.75

-10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.26 $3.26

11.35%

Eggs

$4.81 $4.81

$4.17 $4.17

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 $13.64

$12.90 $12.90

5.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$14.16 $14.16

3.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$16.22 $16.22

18.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.33 $4.33

36.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.51 $4.51

36.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$4.34 $4.34

24.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.58 $2.58

42.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.35 $2.35

10.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.78 $1.78

21.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.22 $2.22

27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$9.88 $9.88

-16.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.08 $15.08

-1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.92 $2.92

28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.46 $3.46

49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.49 $1.49

66.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$41.72 $41.72

132.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.73 $2.73

31.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.66 $1.66

-12.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.20 $24.20

$35.30 $35.30

-31.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.95 $0.95

10.53%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.09%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

-2.36%

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

$216 $216

$229 $229

-5.81%

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

$69.3 $69.3

$59.4 $59.4

16.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$69.9 $69.9

18.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 $30.55

$57.2 $57.2

-46.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 $15.73

$16.33 $16.33

-3.67%

Cinema Ticket

$17.28 $17.28

$14.28 $14.28

21.01%

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

$1,848 $1,848

$1,506 $1,506

22.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

3.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$52.8 $52.8

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.51 $45.51

$43.82 $43.82

3.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 $99.0

$84.8 $84.8

16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$103 $103

4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$1,907 $1,907

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$1,274 $1,274

14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,354 $3,354

$3,664 $3,664

-8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$2,538 $2,538

-15.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 $3,904

$7,614 $7,614

-48.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 $2,616

$3,157 $3,157

-17.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,158 $5,158

$5,121 $5,121

0.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.79

-3.68%

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

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Atlanta, GA

$1.5K 48.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 12.5% $182

Groceries & Markets

Atlanta, GA

$455 15.1%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 11.1% $50

Eating Out

Atlanta, GA

$416 13.8%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 14.9% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atlanta, GA

$368 12.2%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 2.5% $9.4

Clothing & Footwear

Atlanta, GA

$137 4.5%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 6.5% $8.9

Getting Around

Atlanta, GA

$118 3.9%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 50.2% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Atlanta, GA

$65 2.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 31.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,075 in Atlanta, GA versus $1,907 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 1% higher in Atlanta, GA, 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 $109 in Atlanta, GA versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $455 vs $405 – making Austin, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

17:40 5:40 PM

16:40 4:40 PM

1 h behind Atlanta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

510,823

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Atlanta, GA Austin, TX 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Atlanta, 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

Atlanta, GA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,522 per month in Atlanta, GA and $3,995 in Austin, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Austin, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Atlanta, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Atlanta, GA and $85.0 in Austin, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,015 in Atlanta, GA and $2,663 in Austin, TX. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Austin, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Austin, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.