Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $3,015 in Atlanta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
148

Cost of Living Index in Atlanta, GA
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Atlanta, GA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Atlanta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,015

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,663 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,015 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,663
Atlanta, GA $3,015

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,360 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,133
Atlanta, GA $4,360

A family of three spends $5,603 per month in Austin, TX vs $5,706 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,603
Atlanta, GA $5,706

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

Both Austin, TX and Atlanta, GA sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 97%, Atlanta, GA by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$30.30 $30.30

-31.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$109 $109

-22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$11.93 $11.93

3.27%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.65 $2.65

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.03 $2.03

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.10 $7.10

13.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$7.91 $7.91

13.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.83 $0.83

34.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.36 $3.36

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.63 $3.63

-10.19%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.81 $4.81

-13.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$13.64 $13.64

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$14.69 $14.69

-3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$19.15 $19.15

-15.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$5.90 $5.90

-26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.17 $6.17

-26.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.40 $5.40

-19.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.68 $3.68

-29.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.60 $2.60

-9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.17 $2.17

-17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.82 $2.82

-21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.23 $8.23

20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.87 $14.87

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.75 $3.75

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.16 $5.16

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.48 $2.48

-39.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$97.1 $97.1

-57.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.60 $3.60

-24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.45 $1.45

14.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$24.20 $24.20

45.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.05 $1.05

-9.52%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.4K $36.4K

-1.08%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

2.42%

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

$229 $229

$216 $216

6.17%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$69.3 $69.3

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$82.7 $82.7

-15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$30.55 $30.55

87.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$15.73 $15.73

3.81%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$17.28 $17.28

-17.36%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,848 $1,848

-18.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$22.3K $22.3K

-3.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$52.5 $52.5

0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$45.51 $45.51

-3.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$99.0 $99.0

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$107 $107

-3.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,075 $2,075

-8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,456 $1,456

-12.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$3,354 $3,354

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,138 $2,138

18.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$3,904 $3,904

95.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,616 $2,616

20.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$5,158 $5,158

-0.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.54

3.82%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Atlanta, GA

$1.5K 48.3% 14.3% $182

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Atlanta, GA

$455 15.1% 12.5% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Atlanta, GA

$368 12.2% 2.6% $9.4

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Atlanta, GA

$416 13.8% 17.5% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Atlanta, GA

$137 4.5% 7% $8.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Atlanta, GA

$65 2.2% 24.1% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Atlanta, GA

$118 3.9% 101% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $2,075 in Atlanta, 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 1% higher in Atlanta, GA, 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 $109 in Atlanta, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $455 – making Austin, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA

🕒 Local time

06:36 6:36 AM

07:36 7:36 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

510,823

💱 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 Atlanta, GA 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Atlanta, 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 Atlanta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,995 per month in Austin, TX and $4,522 in Atlanta, GA. 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 12% more in Atlanta, GA, 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 $109 in Atlanta, GA. 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 $2,663 in Austin, TX and $3,015 in Atlanta, GA. 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, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.