Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Aurora, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $2,774 in Aurora, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Aurora, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Aurora, IL
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Aurora, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Aurora, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,774

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Aurora, IL

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

A single person spends $2,607 per month in Austin, TX vs $2,774 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,607
Aurora, IL $2,774

A couple spends around $4,031 per month in Austin, TX vs $3,792 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,031
Aurora, IL $3,792

A family of three spends $5,454 per month in Austin, TX vs $4,810 in Aurora, IL, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,454
Aurora, IL $4,810

Austin, TX is about 6% cheaper than Aurora, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Austin, TX and Aurora, IL sit above the global median – Austin, TX by 92%, Aurora, IL by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$14.22 $14.22

43.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$59.5 $59.5

42.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.78 $11.78

2.89%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.40 $5.40

4.63%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.89 $2.89

27.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.27 $2.27

3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.85 $4.85

62.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.87 $7.87

12.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.91 $0.91

25.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.53 $3.53

4.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.31 $4.31

-23.20%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.64 $3.64

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$8.92 $8.92

45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.49 $11.49

20.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$16.23 $16.23

0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.62 $4.62

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.73 $1.73

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.73 $3.73

37.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.18 $3.18

42.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.89 $1.89

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.72 $2.72

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.78 $1.78

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.63 $1.63

36.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.56 $10.56

-5.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.70 $13.70

9.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.31 $2.31

25.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.81 $2.81

18.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.27 $2.27

-46.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$96.8 $96.8

-58.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.04 $4.04

-31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$43.86 $43.86

-19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.09 $1.09

-12.84%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

26.08%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.00%

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

$223 $223

$174 $174

28.17%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$51.5 $51.5

13.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$55.2 $55.2

28.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$17.52 $17.52

202.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$12.19 $12.19

15.34%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,470 $1,470

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

-9.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$56.2 $56.2

-6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$51.2 $51.2

-16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$89.2 $89.2

-3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$80.6 $80.6

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,594 $1,594

32.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,577 $1,577

-21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,856 $2,856

35.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,215 $2,215

8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$5,141 $5,141

44.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,361 $2,361

29.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,880 $3,880

33.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.45

5.74%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aurora, IL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Aurora, IL

$1.6K 56.9% 28.2% $346

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Aurora, IL

$356 12.8% 13.2% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Aurora, IL

$281 10.1% 20.4% $72

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Aurora, IL

$274 9.9% 21.2% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Aurora, IL

$125 4.5% 2.9% $3.8

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Aurora, IL

$42 1.5% 48.4% $39

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Aurora, IL

$120 4.3% 112% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,594 in Aurora, IL. 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 33% higher in Austin, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Austin, TX versus $59 in Aurora, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $356 – making Aurora, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Aurora, IL

🕒 Local time

17:54 5:54 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

180,542

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Aurora, IL 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Aurora, IL

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 Aurora, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aurora, IL costs about 6% more than Austin, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,911 per month in Austin, TX and $4,161 in Aurora, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aurora, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,112 in Austin, TX.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85 in Austin, TX and $59 in Aurora, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,607 in Austin, TX and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. That makes Austin, TX about 6% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,607 in Austin, TX and $2,774 in Aurora, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Aurora, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,607 in Austin, TX to $2,774 in Aurora, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.