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: $2,695 in Austin, TX versus $2,796 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,184 in Austin, TX versus $4,228 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,674 in Austin, TX versus $5,661 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 4% less than in Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 96% above, Atlantic City, NJ 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$20.33 $20.33

-2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$89.3 $89.3

-6.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$11.33 $11.33

8.56%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.57 $5.57

-1.62%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.38 $2.38

56.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.99 $1.99

18.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$6.42 $6.42

20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.14 $9.14

$8.89 $8.89

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.18 $1.18

-4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.29 $3.29

13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$6.99 $6.99

-50.93%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$4.14 $4.14

5.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 $13.14

$10.95 $10.95

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$16.56 $16.56

-13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$19.75 $19.75

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$7.58 $7.58

-40.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$3.85 $3.85

-62.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.39 $5.39

-13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.13 $6.13

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$4.15 $4.15

-27.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.74 $4.74

-43.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.52 $2.52

-26.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.47 $2.47

-11.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$14.74 $14.74

-35.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$13.69 $13.69

10.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.70 $2.70

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.25 $3.25

7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.08 $3.08

-46.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 $40.44

$89.7 $89.7

-54.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.94 $2.94

-4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.21 $2.21

-28.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$41.68 $41.68

-15.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.86 $0.86

4.65%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$20.0K $20.0K

79.27%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

9.36%

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

$222 $222

$241 $241

-8.00%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$55.9 $55.9

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$61.4 $61.4

12.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 $66.2

$29.46 $29.46

124.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 $14.76

$50.1 $50.1

-70.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.78 $13.78

$16.93 $16.93

-18.61%

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

$1,526 $1,526

$506 $506

201.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$7,002 $7,002

202.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$71.9 $71.9

-24.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.01 $44.01

$31.30 $31.30

40.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$122 $122

-26.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$119 $119

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 $1,942

$1,708 $1,708

13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$1,283 $1,283

-1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,762 $3,762

$2,413 $2,413

55.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,592 $2,592

$2,152 $2,152

20.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

$3,562 $3,562

107.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,203 $3,203

$3,653 $3,653

-12.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,085 $5,085

$4,053 $4,053

25.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

114.67%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,942 in Austin, TX and $1,708 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $89.0 in Atlantic City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $486 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($2,695 vs $2,796 including rent). Austin, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $1,942 in Austin, TX versus $1,708 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Atlantic City, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $89.0 in Atlantic City, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Atlantic City, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.