Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,193 in Acton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Acton, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
154

Cost of Living Index in Acton, MA
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Acton, MA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Acton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,193

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Acton, MA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Acton, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,663 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,193 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,663
Acton, MA $3,193

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,790 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,133
Acton, MA $4,790

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Austin, TX vs $6,388 in Acton, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,603
Acton, MA $6,388

Austin, TX is about 17% cheaper than Acton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Austin, TX and Acton, MA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 97%, Acton, MA by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$18.14 $18.14

14.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$95.9 $95.9

-11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$13.47 $13.47

-8.54%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.44 $5.44

3.49%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.82 $2.82

31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.70 $2.70

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.08 $5.08

58.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.81 $7.81

15.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.95 $0.95

17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.29 $2.29

63.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$5.28 $5.28

-38.26%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.79 $4.79

-12.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$11.13 $11.13

15.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$14.57 $14.57

-2.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$17.87 $17.87

-9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.46 $4.46

-2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.72 $1.72

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.85 $2.85

58.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.07 $4.07

6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.93 $1.93

33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.83 $2.83

-16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.93 $1.93

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$13.62 $13.62

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$9.12 $9.12

65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.18 $2.18

33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.28 $4.28

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.93 $0.93

2.15%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.7K $36.7K

-1.88%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.84%

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

$229 $229

$316 $316

-27.56%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$60.8 $60.8

-2.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$73.4 $73.4

-4.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$24.68 $24.68

131.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$12.91 $12.91

10.61%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,857 $1,857

-18.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$29.9K $29.9K

-28.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$57.5 $57.5

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$38.97 $38.97

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$80.7 $80.7

5.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,698 $2,698

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,898 $1,898

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,948 $2,948

24.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$3,557 $3,557

-28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$9,016 $9,016

-43.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.64

2.26%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Acton, MA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Acton, MA

$1.9K 59.5% 49% $624

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Acton, MA

$354 * 11.1% 12.5% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Acton, MA

$450 14.1% 25.7% $92

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Acton, MA

$314 9.8% 11.3% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Acton, MA

$126 3.9% 1.9% $2.4

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Acton, MA

$51 1.6% 41.1% $35

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Acton, MA

- * 0% 100%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,698 in Acton, MA. 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 76% higher in Acton, MA, 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 $85.0 in Austin, TX versus $96.0 in Acton, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $405 in Austin, TX vs $354 in Acton, MA – so Acton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Acton, MA

🕒 Local time

09:47 9:47 AM

10:47 10:47 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

7,596

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Acton, MA 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Acton, MA

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

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

Acton, MA costs about 20% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,995 per month in Austin, TX and $4,789 in Acton, MA. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,663 in Austin, TX and $3,193 in Acton, MA. That's a gap of about 20%.

Kindergarten costs $1,506 per month in Austin, TX and $1,857 in Acton, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,663 in Austin, TX and $3,193 in Acton, MA. 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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