Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, AL and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, AL: $2,013 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, AL
Learn more

Auburn, AL Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Auburn, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,013

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,013 in Auburn, AL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Auburn, AL $2,013
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,941 in Auburn, AL versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Auburn, AL $2,941
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Auburn, AL versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Auburn, AL $3,870
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Auburn, AL costs roughly 25% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Auburn, AL 49% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 $13.18

$20.63 $20.63

-36.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.90 $47.90

$84.6 $84.6

-43.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 $10.60

$12.07 $12.07

-12.18%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$5.48 $5.48

-6.75%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$3.80 $3.80

-35.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.47 $2.47

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.05 $8.05

-38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.88 $8.88

-31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.11 $1.11

-1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.72 $3.72

-2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.37 $3.37

64.09%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$4.32 $4.32

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 $11.81

$13.13 $13.13

-10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$14.15 $14.15

-56.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$16.33 $16.33

-34.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$4.55 $4.55

9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.46 $1.46

-18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.71 $4.71

-47.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.15 $4.15

-31.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.58 $2.58

-28.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.35 $2.35

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.77 $1.77

12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.14 $2.14

-13.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.67 $6.67

$10.10 $10.10

-33.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 $12.42

$15.19 $15.19

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.82 $2.82

-40.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.44 $3.44

48.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

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)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.94 $0.94

-17.02%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

32.66%

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

$207 $207

$223 $223

-6.87%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$58.9 $58.9

-7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$70.6 $70.6

-9.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 $64.5

$57.7 $57.7

11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$14.26 $14.26

6.52%

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

$1,511 $1,511

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.99 $49.99

$51.3 $51.3

-2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.26 $48.26

$44.17 $44.17

9.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 $67.9

$87.0 $87.0

-21.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 $65.5

$104 $104

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 $1,288

$1,940 $1,940

-33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$1,316 $1,316

-30.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 $2,090

$3,664 $3,664

-42.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$2,565 $2,565

-37.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,054 $2,054

$7,354 $7,354

-72.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,059 $2,059

$3,129 $3,129

-34.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,356 $4,356

$5,286 $5,286

-17.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.79

-5.89%

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

Last update for Auburn, AL: 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

Auburn, AL

$910 45.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 44.6% $406

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, AL

$326 16.2%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 8% $26

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, AL

$325 16.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 24.8% $81

Eating Out

Auburn, AL

$252 12.5%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 38.8% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, AL

$104 5.2%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 23.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, AL

$95 4.7%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 9.1% $8.7

Getting Around

Auburn, AL

- * 0%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Auburn, AL and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 21% 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: $48.00 in Auburn, AL vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $406 per month, with Auburn, AL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, AL

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

08:24 8:24 AM

Same time as Auburn, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Auburn, AL Austin, TX 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, AL
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

Auburn, AL vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Auburn, AL and Austin, TX differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,013 vs $2,698 including rent). Auburn, AL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% 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: $1,288 in Auburn, AL versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Auburn, AL – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,013 per month in Auburn, AL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,013 in Auburn, AL versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Auburn, AL but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Auburn, AL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Auburn, AL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.