Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Birmingham, AL

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Birmingham, AL: $2,607 and $2,627 a month, rent and utilities included.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Birmingham, AL
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Birmingham, AL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Birmingham, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,627

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Birmingham, AL

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 Birmingham, AL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,627 in Birmingham, AL.

Austin, TX $2,607
Birmingham, AL $2,627

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,899 in Birmingham, AL.

Austin, TX $4,031
Birmingham, AL $3,899

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,172 in Birmingham, AL.

Austin, TX $5,454
Birmingham, AL $5,172

Monthly costs are close between Austin, TX and Birmingham, AL; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Birmingham, AL 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$17.75 $17.75

14.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$69.7 $69.7

21.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.86 $8.86

36.79%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.67 $5.67

-0.35%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.65 $2.65

38.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.28 $2.28

3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.12 $5.12

53.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$5.92 $5.92

48.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.08 $1.08

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.09 $3.09

19.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.82 $4.82

-31.33%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.24 $4.24

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$9.30 $9.30

39.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$11.16 $11.16

24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$16.46 $16.46

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.42 $6.42

-26.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.38 $1.38

5.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$7.88 $7.88

-35.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.57 $5.57

-18.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.16 $4.16

-25.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$5.39 $5.39

-55.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.86 $2.86

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.79 $2.79

-20.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.55 $8.55

16.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.06 $15.06

-0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.42 $2.42

20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.51 $3.51

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.53 $1.53

-20.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$78.9 $78.9

-48.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.95 $2.95

-5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.55 $1.55

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$30.20 $30.20

17.19%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

28.61%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

4.04%

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

$223 $223

$274 $274

-18.76%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$75.7 $75.7

-22.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$72.2 $72.2

-1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$54.3 $54.3

-2.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.24 $20.24

-17.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$16.04 $16.04

-12.34%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,324 $1,324

10.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$17.8K $17.8K

20.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$59.5 $59.5

-11.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$38.91 $38.91

9.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$109 $109

-20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$136 $136

-23.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,582 $1,582

33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,146 $1,146

7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,560 $2,560

50.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,017 $2,017

19.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,665 $2,665

178.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$1,820 $1,820

68.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$3,246 $3,246

59.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.69

1.94%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Birmingham, AL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Birmingham, AL

$1.1K 43.6% 6.9% $85

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Birmingham, AL

$428 16.3% 4.5% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Birmingham, AL

$422 16.1% 19.8% $70

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Birmingham, AL

$294 11.2% 15.6% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Birmingham, AL

$155 5.9% 20.4% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Birmingham, AL

$86 3.3% 6.4% $5.2

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Birmingham, AL

$96 3.6% 69.5% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,582 in Birmingham, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 60% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $70 in Birmingham, AL. Groceries flip the comparison at $410 vs $428, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Birmingham, AL

🕒 Local time

18:47 6:47 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

200,733

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Birmingham, AL 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Birmingham, AL

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 Birmingham, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 60% 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 $1,582 in Birmingham, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,324 in Birmingham, AL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Birmingham, AL – a meal for two runs $70 versus $85 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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