Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bismarck, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Bismarck, ND: $2,355 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Bismarck, ND
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Bismarck, ND Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Bismarck, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,355

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bismarck, ND

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 Bismarck, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,689 in Austin, TX versus $2,355 in Bismarck, ND.

Austin, TX $2,689
Bismarck, ND $2,355

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,112 in Austin, TX versus $3,453 in Bismarck, ND.

Austin, TX $4,112
Bismarck, ND $3,453

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,534 in Austin, TX versus $4,551 in Bismarck, ND.

Austin, TX $5,534
Bismarck, ND $4,551

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bismarck, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Bismarck, ND 74% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$29.75 $29.75

-28.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$69.5 $69.5

26.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$17.29 $17.29

-28.05%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.16 $6.16

-9.09%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$2.60 $2.60

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.80 $1.80

32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$5.45 $5.45

43.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$6.95 $6.95

25.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.00 $1.00

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.59 $2.59

39.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.13 $2.13

64.32%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$2.68 $2.68

66.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$7.87 $7.87

67.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$12.98 $12.98

7.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$16.16 $16.16

1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.48 $3.48

35.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.72 $1.72

-12.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.11 $3.11

49.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.40 $4.40

2.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.90 $1.90

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.64 $2.64

-9.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.20 $2.20

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.80 $2.80

-23.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$8.63 $8.63

16.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$20.29 $20.29

-26.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.82 $1.82

54.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.93 $3.93

-16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.53 $1.53

-19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$35.49 $35.49

16.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.92 $0.92

6.52%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

26.67%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.6K $22.6K

18.91%

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

$252 $252

$207 $207

21.72%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$73.9 $73.9

-19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$83.7 $83.7

-16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$33.94 $33.94

77.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$12.06 $12.06

14.01%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$809 $809

80.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$9,125 $9,125

191.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$66.3 $66.3

-20.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$95.3 $95.3

-10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$79.6 $79.6

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,010 $1,010

117.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$995 $995

27.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$1,526 $1,526

162.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$1,631 $1,631

47.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$2,440 $2,440

202.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$1,971 $1,971

50.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$4,378 $4,378

15.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.84

-0.29%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bismarck, ND: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Bismarck, ND

$995 42.2% 21.6% $274

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Bismarck, ND

$365 15.5% 10.4% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Bismarck, ND

$365 15.5% 4.4% $17

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Bismarck, ND

$423 17.9% 18.7% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Bismarck, ND

$109 * 4.6% 16.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Bismarck, ND

$58 2.5% 33.9% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Bismarck, ND

$42 * 1.8% 27.2% $16

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 $2,195 in Austin, TX and $1,010 in Bismarck, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 15% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Austin, TX vs $70 in Bismarck, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $365 per month, with Bismarck, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Bismarck, ND

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

58,333

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Bismarck, ND 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bismarck, ND

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 Bismarck, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bismarck, ND wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bismarck, ND the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $1,010 in Bismarck, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,689 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,355 in Bismarck, ND – Bismarck, ND is about 12% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bismarck, ND runs roughly 14% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Bismarck, ND gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Bismarck, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.