Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Baytown, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Baytown, TX: $2,419 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Baytown, TX
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Baytown, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Baytown, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,419

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Baytown, TX

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 Baytown, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,419 in Baytown, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Baytown, TX $2,419

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,058 in Baytown, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Baytown, TX $3,058

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,697 in Baytown, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Baytown, TX $3,697

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than in Baytown, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Baytown, TX 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.36 $20.36

-0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$39.75 $39.75

113.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$11.09 $11.09

9.29%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.45 $5.45

3.67%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.20 $2.20

67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.87 $1.87

26.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.08 $5.08

54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.65 $5.65

56.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.08 $1.08

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.37 $2.37

55.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.74 $5.74

-42.33%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.86 $3.86

7.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$8.49 $8.49

52.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.63 $9.63

43.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$21.40 $21.40

-23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.33 $4.33

8.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.04 $1.04

39.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.59 $5.59

-8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.53 $5.53

-18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.84 $2.84

8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$5.49 $5.49

-56.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.28 $1.28

40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.02 $2.02

9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$5.92 $5.92

68.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.33 $11.33

32.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.64 $3.64

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.08 $4.08

-18.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$14.94 $14.94

136.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.92 $0.92

3.26%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$48.5K $48.5K

-29.54%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.9K $24.9K

7.63%

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

$223 $223

$203 $203

9.82%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$40.58 $40.58

44.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$66.4 $66.4

7.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$14.86 $14.86

256.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$8.94 $8.94

57.27%

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

$1,459 $1,459

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$38.03 $38.03

38.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$19.67 $19.67

117.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$61.9 $61.9

39.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$64.3 $64.3

61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,292 $1,292

63.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,293 $1,293

-4.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,835 $1,835

110.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,367 $1,367

76.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,750 $3,750

38.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.71

1.64%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Baytown, TX: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Baytown, TX

$1.3K 53.4% 5% $62

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Baytown, TX

$386 16% 5.7% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Baytown, TX

$310 12.8% 12.1% $43

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Baytown, TX

$315 13% 9.7% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Baytown, TX

$83 3.4% 35.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Baytown, TX

$33 1.4% 59.7% $48

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Baytown, TX

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,292 in Baytown, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 38% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $40 in Baytown, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $386 per month, with Baytown, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Baytown, TX

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

75,418

💱 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 Baytown, TX 270 km

From you

Austin, TX
Baytown, TX

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 Baytown, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baytown, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Baytown, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,292 in Baytown, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,419 in Baytown, TX – Baytown, TX is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baytown, 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.

It comes down to priorities – Baytown, TX wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.