Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ashland, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
176

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, MA
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Ashland, MA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,638

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,607 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,638 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,607
Ashland, MA $3,638

A couple spends around $4,031 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,720 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,031
Ashland, MA $4,720

A family of three spends $5,454 per month in Austin, TX vs $5,802 in Ashland, MA, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,454
Ashland, MA $5,802

Austin, TX is about 28% cheaper than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Austin, TX and Ashland, MA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 92%, Ashland, MA by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$19.79 $19.79

2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$76.3 $76.3

11.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.21 $13.21

-8.25%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.06 $5.06

11.66%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.87 $2.87

28.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.43 $2.43

-2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.98 $5.98

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$9.04 $9.04

-2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.06 $1.06

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.46 $4.46

-17.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$16.37 $16.37

-79.78%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.96 $5.96

-30.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$17.97 $17.97

-27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$10.73 $10.73

29.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$18.82 $18.82

-13.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.52 $5.52

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$4.29 $4.29

-66.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.25 $3.25

57.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.11 $3.11

45.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.18 $2.18

41.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.40 $2.40

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.62 $2.62

-31.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.85 $2.85

-22.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.66 $13.66

-27.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$17.34 $17.34

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.89 $1.89

53.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.72 $2.72

22.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.89 $5.89

-52.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.01 $1.01

-5.94%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$28.2K $28.2K

21.09%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.58%

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

$223 $223

$180 $180

24.19%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$37.13 $37.13

57.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$59.1 $59.1

20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$76.1 $76.1

-30.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$44.12 $44.12

-62.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.37 $12.37

13.66%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,104 $2,104

-30.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$38.59 $38.59

36.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$16.15 $16.15

164.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$101 $101

-14.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$101 $101

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,102 $2,102

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$2,316 $2,316

-46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,877 $2,877

34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,820 $2,820

-14.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$5,069 $5,069

46.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$4,390 $4,390

-30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$7,849 $7,849

-34.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.51

4.76%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ashland, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Ashland, MA

$2.3K 63.7% 88.2% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Ashland, MA

$496 13.6% 21.1% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Ashland, MA

$276 7.6% 21.8% $77

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Ashland, MA

$328 9% 5.8% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Ashland, MA

$116 3.2% 9.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Ashland, MA

$101 2.8% 24.2% $20

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Ashland, MA

$5.9 * 0.2% 89.6% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,102 in Ashland, 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 52% higher in Ashland, MA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Austin, TX versus $76 in Ashland, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $410 in Austin, TX vs $496 in Ashland, MA – so Austin, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Ashland, MA

🕒 Local time

14:59 2:59 PM

15:59 3:59 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

21,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Ashland, MA 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Ashland, MA costs about 40% 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 $3,911 per month in Austin, TX and $5,457 in Ashland, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,102 in Ashland, MA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,607 in Austin, TX and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. That makes Austin, TX about 28% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,459 per month in Austin, TX and $2,104 in Ashland, 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 $2,607 in Austin, TX and $3,638 in Ashland, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Ashland, MA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,607 in Austin, TX to $3,638 in Ashland, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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