Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashland, OH: $2,365 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 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
114

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, OH
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Ashland, OH Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Ashland, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Ashland, OH

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,365 in Ashland, OH.

Austin, TX $2,698
Ashland, OH $2,365

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,244 in Ashland, OH.

Austin, TX $4,160
Ashland, OH $3,244

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,124 in Ashland, OH.

Austin, TX $5,622
Ashland, OH $4,124

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 14% more expensive than in Ashland, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Ashland, OH 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$8.76 $8.76

135.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$35.20 $35.20

140.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.26 $8.26

46.13%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.45 $3.45

58.84%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.18 $2.18

74.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.23 $1.23

100.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.74 $2.74

193.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.02 $8.02

10.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.83 $0.83

33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.84 $1.84

102.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.56 $3.56

-5.34%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.65 $3.65

18.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.93 $9.93

32.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.23 $9.23

53.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.49 $14.49

12.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.44 $3.44

32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.18 $1.18

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.23 $3.23

45.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.42 $4.42

-6.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.99 $1.99

29.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.89 $2.89

-18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.07 $2.07

-14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.99 $1.99

7.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.33 $10.33

-2.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$9.38 $9.38

61.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.14 $2.14

31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.59 $2.59

32.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$4.92 $4.92

-68.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$200 $200

-79.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.99 $2.99

-6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.93 $0.93

72.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$18.04 $18.04

90.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.04 $1.04

-9.62%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

14.88%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.55%

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

$223 $223

$198 $198

12.49%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$33.76 $33.76

74.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$58.7 $58.7

20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$45.79 $45.79

26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$8.08 $8.08

76.49%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$890 $890

69.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$20.3K $20.3K

2.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$54.1 $54.1

-5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$43.89 $43.89

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$99.3 $99.3

-12.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$105 $105

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$885 $885

119.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,157 $1,157

13.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,325 $1,325

176.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,659 $1,659

54.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,838 $1,838

300.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,968 $1,968

59.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,580 $3,580

47.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.6

2.88%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ashland, OH: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Ashland, OH

$1.2K 48.9% 12.1% $159

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Ashland, OH

$313 13.2% 23% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Ashland, OH

$290 12.3% 17.5% $62

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Ashland, OH

$180 7.6% 48.7% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Ashland, OH

$136 5.8% 5.4% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Ashland, OH

$62 2.6% 28.1% $24

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Ashland, OH

$227 9.6% 292% $169

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $885 in Ashland, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 48% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $35.00 in Ashland, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $313 per month, with Ashland, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Ashland, OH

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

03:36 3:36 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

21,684

💱 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 Ashland, OH 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Ashland, OH

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, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashland, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ashland, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $885 in Ashland, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashland, OH – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,365 in Ashland, OH – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,365 in Ashland, OH versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ashland, OH but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ashland, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ashland, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.