Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Augusta, ME Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Augusta, ME

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,242 in Augusta, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,214 in Augusta, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,187 in Augusta, ME.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 21% more expensive than Augusta, ME, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Augusta, ME 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$19.90 $19.90

0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$74.9 $74.9

1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.53 $7.53

34.53%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.07 $5.07

8.28%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.38 $2.38

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 $1.86

15.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.13 $5.13

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.10 $6.10

31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.15 $1.15

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.59 $3.59

-6.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.77 $1.77

93.22%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.65 $3.65

18.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$16.71 $16.71

-29.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$12.33 $12.33

-13.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$18.98 $18.98

-23.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.43 $4.43

8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.27 $1.27

18.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.16 $3.16

42.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$6.51 $6.51

-37.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.22 $2.22

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.32 $3.32

-15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.86 $2.86

-28.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.54 $1.54

39.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.02 $9.02

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$14.93 $14.93

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.87 $2.87

-20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.95 $1.95

81.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.95 $1.95

-22.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.54 $2.54

68.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.23 $1.23

47.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$27.90 $27.90

27.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.90 $0.90

-14.44%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.7K $29.7K

-13.67%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.5K $25.5K

3.38%

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

$172 $172

$197 $197

-12.82%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$59.0 $59.0

2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$78.2 $78.2

-14.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$30.20 $30.20

108.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$12.77 $12.77

15.35%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$2,796 $2,796

-49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

-19.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$65.7 $65.7

-16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$44.31 $44.31

3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$84.3 $84.3

2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$148 $148

-22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,051 $1,051

113.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$945 $945

48.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$1,603 $1,603

135.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$1,447 $1,447

87.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,342 $2,342

211.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,359 $2,359

41.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

$1,934 $1,934

153.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.43

0.31%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Augusta, ME: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,051 in Augusta, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 154% 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: $76 in Austin, TX vs $75 in Augusta, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $404, 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 Augusta, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX and Augusta, ME differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($2,719 vs $2,242 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Austin, TX pays 154% more on average, 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,051 in Augusta, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $2,796 in Augusta, ME. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Augusta, ME – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,242 in Augusta, ME versus $2,719 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Augusta, ME but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Augusta, ME 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 Augusta, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.