Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Big Rapids, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI: $1,961 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Big Rapids, MI
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Big Rapids, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,961

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Big Rapids, MI

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 Big Rapids, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $2,607
Big Rapids, MI $1,961

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $2,883 in Big Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $4,031
Big Rapids, MI $2,883

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $3,804 in Big Rapids, MI.

Austin, TX $5,454
Big Rapids, MI $3,804

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 33% more expensive than in Big Rapids, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Big Rapids, MI 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$18.73 $18.73

8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$61.1 $61.1

38.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.17 $8.17

48.35%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.93 $4.93

14.60%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.99 $2.99

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.18 $2.18

8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.52 $6.52

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$7.84 $7.84

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.89 $0.89

28.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.20 $3.20

15.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.17 $2.17

52.53%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.70 $3.70

12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$16.99 $16.99

-23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.26 $13.26

4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$14.66 $14.66

11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.41 $3.41

37.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.63 $0.63

130.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.82 $3.82

33.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.49 $4.49

0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.29 $2.29

34.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.73 $2.73

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.33 $2.33

-22.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.05 $2.05

8.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.26 $10.26

-2.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.64 $13.64

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.08 $2.08

39.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.84 $2.84

17.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.96 $1.96

-37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$61.0 $61.0

-33.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.98 $2.98

-6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.59 $1.59

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$26.80 $26.80

32.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.12 $1.12

-15.18%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

15.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.0K $24.0K

11.41%

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

$223 $223

$196 $196

13.66%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$58.9 $58.9

-0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$72.3 $72.3

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$43.35 $43.35

22.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$13.11 $13.11

7.25%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,985 $1,985

-26.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$19.7K $19.7K

8.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$56.1 $56.1

-6.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$35.30 $35.30

21.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$85.8 $85.8

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$103 $103

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$912 $912

131.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$682 $682

80.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$1,575 $1,575

145.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$1,064 $1,064

126.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,629 $2,629

182.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,463 $2,463

24.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

5.68

20.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Big Rapids, MI

$682 34.8% 44.5% $548

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Big Rapids, MI

$374 19.1% 8.8% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Big Rapids, MI

$327 16.7% 7.2% $25

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Big Rapids, MI

$302 15.4% 13.1% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Big Rapids, MI

$126 6.4% 1.7% $2.2

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Big Rapids, MI

$70 3.6% 14.3% $12

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Big Rapids, MI

$80 4.1% 41.3% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $912 in Big Rapids, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $61 in Big Rapids, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $374 per month, with Big Rapids, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Big Rapids, MI

🕒 Local time

13:43 1:43 PM

14:43 2:43 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

10,565

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Big Rapids, MI 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Big Rapids, MI

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 Big Rapids, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Big Rapids, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Big Rapids, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $3,911 in Austin, TX and $2,942 in Big Rapids, MI 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $912 in Big Rapids, MI. 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 $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 34% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,607 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Big Rapids, MI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Big Rapids, MI 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.