Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Atlantic City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Atlantic City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,701 in Austin, TX versus $2,337 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,086 in Austin, TX versus $3,628 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,470 in Austin, TX versus $4,920 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 16% more expensive than in Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Atlantic City, NJ 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$25.12 $25.12

-20.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$59.0 $59.0

26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$12.41 $12.41

-20.63%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$5.36 $5.36

8.02%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.79 $2.79

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.51 $2.51

-13.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.98 $6.98

-14.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$9.16 $9.16

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.16 $1.16

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.00 $4.00

-18.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$8.19 $8.19

-58.85%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$6.27 $6.27

-31.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$17.39 $17.39

-30.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$16.20 $16.20

-34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$20.15 $20.15

-27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.49 $4.49

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.42 $2.42

-35.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$5.88 $5.88

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$6.46 $6.46

-37.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.69 $3.69

-24.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.11 $4.11

-31.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.03 $2.03

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.95 $1.95

14.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.75 $8.75

$19.32 $19.32

-54.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.77 $14.77

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.04 $3.04

-23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.81 $3.81

-8.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-25.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 $42.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.84 $4.84

-10.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.23 $2.23

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.23 $35.23

$41.52 $41.52

-15.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.83 $0.83

-3.61%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$35.5K $35.5K

-27.48%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.6K $27.6K

-2.60%

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

$173 $173

$184 $184

-5.65%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$59.7 $59.7

-1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$54.0 $54.0

24.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 $61.8

$42.63 $42.63

45.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$14.18 $14.18

4.37%

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

$1,414 $1,414

$3,192 $3,192

-55.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$23.4K $23.4K

-5.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$42.82 $42.82

28.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.67 $46.67

$39.89 $39.89

17.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$60.3 $60.3

45.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$74.0 $74.0

61.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,200 $2,200

$1,416 $1,416

55.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$1,017 $1,017

40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,769 $3,769

$2,025 $2,025

86.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,704 $2,704

$1,865 $1,865

44.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,334 $7,334

$3,664 $3,664

100.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$3,603 $3,603

-12.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,093 $5,093

$4,129 $4,129

23.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.44

0.16%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 20, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,200 in Austin, TX and $1,416 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 23% 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: $74.0 in Austin, TX vs $59.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $499, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 Atlantic City, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX and Atlantic City, NJ differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,701 vs $2,337 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $2,200 in Austin, TX versus $1,416 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,414 in Austin, TX versus $3,192 in Atlantic City, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Atlantic City, NJ – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $74.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Atlantic City, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.