Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Albany, GA: $2,411 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Albany, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,411
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Albany, GA

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 Albany, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,698 per month in Austin, TX vs $2,411 in Albany, GA, rent included.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Albany, GA $2,411

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,357 in Albany, GA, rent included.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Albany, GA $3,357

A family of three spends $5,622 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,302 in Albany, GA, rent included.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Albany, GA $4,302

Austin, TX costs about 12% more than Albany, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Austin, TX and Albany, GA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 99%, Albany, GA by 78%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$13.35 $13.35
54.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$49.44 $49.44
71.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$10.37 $10.37
16.39%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$5.44 $5.44
0.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.97 $2.97
27.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.17 $2.17
13.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$7.54 $7.54
6.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$5.62 $5.62
58.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$0.83 $0.83
33.73%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.60 $1.60
132.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.99 $1.99
69.35%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$3.28 $3.28
31.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$7.73 $7.73
69.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$10.41 $10.41
35.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$10.39 $10.39
57.17%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$5.89 $5.89
-22.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.36 $1.36
7.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$6.19 $6.19
-23.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$4.84 $4.84
-14.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$4.25 $4.25
-39.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$4.07 $4.07
-42.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.66 $2.66
-33.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.03 $2.03
5.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$8.95 $8.95
12.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$18.15 $18.15
-16.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.75 $1.75
61.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$5.94 $5.94
-42.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.72 $1.72
-10.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
$45.07 $45.07
-9.05%
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)
$0.94 $0.94
$0.85 $0.85
10.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$28.1K $28.1K
21.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.8K $26.8K
-0.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$185 $185
20.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$41.28 $41.28
42.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$82.3 $82.3
-14.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$15.04 $15.04
283.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$10.91 $10.91
30.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$733 $733
106.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$9,445 $9,445
121.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$54.1 $54.1
-5.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$32.58 $32.58
35.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$66.2 $66.2
31.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$54.2 $54.2
92.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$1,297 $1,297
49.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$1,296 $1,296
1.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$2,539 $2,539
44.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$1,980 $1,980
29.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$1,269 $1,269
479.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$1,243 $1,243
151.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Albany, GA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
$3,025 $3,025
74.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.72
1.04%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Albany, GA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Albany, GA
$1.3K 1.5% $20
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Albany, GA
$351 13.5% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Albany, GA
$309 12.2% $43
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Albany, GA
$273 22.1% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Albany, GA
$93 27.8% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Albany, GA
$37 57.3% $49
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Albany, GA
$52 * 10.3% $6

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,297 in Albany, GA. 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 75% higher in Austin, TX, 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 $49.00 in Albany, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $351 – making Albany, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Albany, GA
🕒 Local time
08:16 8:16 AM
09:16 9:16 AM
1 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
99,224
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Albany, GA 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Albany, GA

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 Albany, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Albany, GA cheaper than Austin, TX?
Yes – Austin, TX is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,046 per month in Austin, TX and $3,617 in Albany, GA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Albany, GA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,511 per month in Austin, TX and $733 in Albany, GA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Austin, TX and in Albany, GA?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Austin, TX, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Austin, TX or in Albany, GA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Albany, GA, where all-in costs run around $2,411, than in Austin, TX at $2,698. In Albany, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Austin, TX or Albany, GA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Albany, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Albany, GA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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