Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Amherst, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, NY: $2,512 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
Learn more

Amherst, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Amherst, NY

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 Amherst, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Austin, TX vs $2,512 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,689
Amherst, NY $2,512

A couple spends around $4,112 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,853 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,112
Amherst, NY $3,853

A family of three spends $5,534 per month in Austin, TX vs $5,195 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,534
Amherst, NY $5,195

Austin, TX costs about 7% more than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Austin, TX and Amherst, NY sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 99%, Amherst, NY by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$18.08 $18.08

18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$78.0 $78.0

12.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$12.17 $12.17

2.22%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.94 $5.94

-5.72%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.75 $2.75

32.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.06 $2.06

16.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$6.93 $6.93

12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.58 $7.58

15.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.88 $0.88

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.32 $3.32

9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.32 $4.32

-18.98%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$3.96 $3.96

12.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$11.06 $11.06

19.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$9.98 $9.98

39.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$15.86 $15.86

3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.91 $4.91

-3.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.43 $1.43

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.39 $4.39

5.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.26 $5.26

-14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.72 $2.72

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.95 $2.95

-18.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.40 $2.40

-23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.47 $2.47

-13.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$15.03 $15.03

-33.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.05 $15.05

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.00 $2.00

41.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.12 $4.12

-20.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.95 $1.95

-36.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$54.1 $54.1

-23.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.83 $2.83

-5.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.05 $2.05

-20.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$20.01 $20.01

75.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.18 $1.18

-16.95%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

12.30%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.02%

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

$252 $252

$234 $234

7.84%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$51.7 $51.7

15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$66.3 $66.3

5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$40.31 $40.31

49.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$19.77 $19.77

-8.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$12.88 $12.88

6.75%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$1,263 $1,263

15.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$18.9K $18.9K

40.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$53.7 $53.7

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$44.22 $44.22

3.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$96.1 $96.1

-11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$115 $115

-7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,547 $1,547

41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$1,174 $1,174

8.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,716 $2,716

47.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,269 $2,269

6.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,775 $2,775

166.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$2,351 $2,351

26.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$4,179 $4,179

20.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.52

4.60%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Amherst, NY: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Amherst, NY

$1.2K 46.7% 7.5% $95

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Amherst, NY

$384 15.3% 5.6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Amherst, NY

$352 14% 7.8% $30

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Amherst, NY

$322 12.8% 9.7% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Amherst, NY

$139 5.5% 6.5% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Amherst, NY

$66 2.6% 24.8% $22

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Amherst, NY

$75 3% 31.2% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,547 in Amherst, NY. 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 21% higher in Austin, TX. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Austin, TX versus $78 in Amherst, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $384 – making Amherst, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

13:03 1:03 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Amherst, NY 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Amherst, NY

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 Amherst, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX costs about 7% more than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,034 per month in Austin, TX and $3,767 in Amherst, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amherst, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,547 there versus $2,195 in Austin, TX.

Kindergarten costs $1,458 per month in Austin, TX and $1,263 in Amherst, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Austin, TX, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,689 in Austin, TX and $2,512 in Amherst, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Amherst, NY – 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 Amherst, NY. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.