Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Arlington, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, VA
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Arlington, VA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Arlington, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,582

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Arlington, VA

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 Arlington, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,698 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,698
Arlington, VA $3,582

A couple spends around $4,160 per month in Austin, TX vs $5,415 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,160
Arlington, VA $5,415

A family of three spends $5,622 per month in Austin, TX vs $7,249 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,622
Arlington, VA $7,249

Austin, TX is about 25% cheaper than Arlington, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Austin, TX and Arlington, VA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 99%, Arlington, VA by 164%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$23.99 $23.99

-14.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$101 $101

-16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.93 $10.93

10.43%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.78 $5.78

-5.19%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.98 $2.98

27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.43 $2.43

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.14 $8.14

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.81 $8.81

0.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.25 $1.25

-11.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.39 $4.39

-15.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.21 $5.21

-35.32%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.07 $5.07

-14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$21.53 $21.53

-39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$15.69 $15.69

-9.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$22.56 $22.56

-27.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.57 $5.57

-18.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.88 $1.88

-22.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.56 $4.56

3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.75 $5.75

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.26 $3.26

-20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.75 $3.75

-37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.26 $2.26

-21.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.44 $2.44

-12.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.73 $9.73

3.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$17.20 $17.20

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.83 $2.83

-0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.83 $2.83

21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.74 $2.74

-43.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$121 $121

-66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.93 $3.93

-28.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.21 $1.21

32.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$24.92 $24.92

37.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.05 $1.05

-10.48%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

16.51%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

4.24%

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

$223 $223

$162 $162

37.68%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$51.5 $51.5

14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$61.7 $61.7

14.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$71.4 $71.4

-19.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$19.14 $19.14

-13.64%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$16.58 $16.58

-13.99%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,572 $1,572

-3.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$35.5K $35.5K

-41.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$55.3 $55.3

-7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$62.2 $62.2

-28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$104 $104

-16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$163 $163

-35.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,452 $2,452

-20.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$2,010 $2,010

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,832 $4,832

-24.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,600 $3,600

-28.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$5,750 $5,750

27.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$4,742 $4,742

-34.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$6,973 $6,973

-24.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Arlington, VA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Arlington, VA

$2K 56.1% 52.7% $693

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Arlington, VA

$504 14.1% 24.2% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Arlington, VA

$275 7.7% 21.9% $77

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Arlington, VA

$374 10.4% 6.8% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Arlington, VA

$173 4.8% 33.8% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Arlington, VA

$105 2.9% 21.3% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Arlington, VA

$142 4% 145% $84

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,452 in Arlington, VA. 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 32% higher in Arlington, VA, 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 $101 in Arlington, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $504 – making Austin, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Arlington, VA

🕒 Local time

12:45 12:45 PM

13:45 1:45 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

365,438

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Arlington, VA 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Arlington, VA

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 Arlington, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 33% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,046 per month in Austin, TX and $5,373 in Arlington, VA. 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 24% more in Arlington, VA, 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 $85.0 in Austin, TX and $101 in Arlington, VA. 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 $2,698 in Austin, TX and $3,582 in Arlington, VA. 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, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.