Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Barnstable, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Barnstable, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,442 in Barnstable, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,554 in Barnstable, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,666 in Barnstable, MA.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 11% more expensive than Barnstable, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Barnstable, MA 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$20.40 $20.40

-2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$65.2 $65.2

16.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$9.83 $9.83

3.05%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.10 $4.10

33.90%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.05 $2.05

32.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.74 $1.74

22.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.03 $5.03

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.66 $6.66

20.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.96 $0.96

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.90 $2.90

15.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$4.23 $4.23

-19.15%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.82 $3.82

13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$6.70 $6.70

76.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$8.97 $8.97

19.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$8.77 $8.77

65.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$3.86 $3.86

24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.45 $1.45

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.75 $3.75

20.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.61 $3.61

11.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.12 $2.12

30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.21 $2.21

26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.94 $1.94

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.67 $1.67

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$12.02 $12.02

-23.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$12.85 $12.85

15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.76 $1.76

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.33 $3.33

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-25.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.94 $2.94

45.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.76 $1.76

3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$29.58 $29.58

20.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.86 $0.86

-10.47%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$34.9K $34.9K

-26.52%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$24.4K $24.4K

7.98%

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

$172 $172

$100 $100

71.57%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$52.5 $52.5

14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$66.4 $66.4

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.29 $43.29

45.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$14.10 $14.10

4.47%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,743 $1,743

-19.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$30.0K $30.0K

-27.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$47.53 $47.53

15.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$34.57 $34.57

32.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$87.3 $87.3

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$157 $157

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,576 $1,576

42.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,366 $1,366

2.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,642 $2,642

43.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,186 $2,186

23.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,984 $2,984

144.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,448 $2,448

36.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.6

-2.27%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,576 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $65 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $303 per month, with Barnstable, MA 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 Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Barnstable, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,079 in Austin, TX and $3,663 in Barnstable, MA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,576 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,743 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Barnstable, MA – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $76.0 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. Barnstable, MA 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 Barnstable, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.