Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bloomington, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IN: $2,376 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

130

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

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IN
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Bloomington, IN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Bloomington, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,376

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bloomington, IN

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 Bloomington, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,376 in Bloomington, IN.

Austin, TX $2,663
Bloomington, IN $2,376

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,168 in Bloomington, IN.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bloomington, IN $3,168

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,960 in Bloomington, IN.

Austin, TX $5,603
Bloomington, IN $3,960

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 12% more expensive than in Bloomington, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bloomington, IN 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$14.73 $14.73

41.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$49.75 $49.75

70.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.08 $10.08

22.22%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.90 $4.90

14.90%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.08 $2.08

78.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.55 $1.55

61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.19 $5.19

55.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.83 $5.83

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.80 $0.80

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.22 $3.22

16.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.03 $4.03

-19.11%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$3.77 $3.77

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.86 $12.86

0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$5.91 $5.91

139.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.23 $16.23

-0.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.37 $4.37

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.28 $1.28

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.36 $3.36

34.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.81 $4.81

-9.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.63 $2.63

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.22 $3.22

-27.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.04 $2.04

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.91 $1.91

16.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$10.33 $10.33

-4.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$10.79 $10.79

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.84 $1.84

58.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.96 $2.96

16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$29.88 $29.88

39.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.84 $3.84

-28.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.09 $1.09

52.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$18.05 $18.05

95.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.91 $0.91

4.40%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.9K $35.9K

0.36%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

5.86%

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

$229 $229

$150 $150

52.84%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$76.9 $76.9

-22.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$62.9 $62.9

11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$40.43 $40.43

41.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$20.61 $20.61

-20.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.87 $11.87

20.30%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,476 $1,476

2.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$19.4K $19.4K

10.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$45.63 $45.63

15.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$42.03 $42.03

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$68.3 $68.3

24.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$90.1 $90.1

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,484 $1,484

28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,276 $1,276

-0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,086 $2,086

75.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,576 $1,576

61.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,120 $2,120

259.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,150 $2,150

46.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,556 $3,556

44.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.55

3.66%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bloomington, IN: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Bloomington, IN

$1.3K 53.7% 0.2% $2

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Bloomington, IN

$337 14.2% 16.6% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Bloomington, IN

$290 12.2% 19.2% $69

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Bloomington, IN

$259 10.9% 26.8% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Bloomington, IN

$111 4.7% 13.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Bloomington, IN

$64 2.7% 25.2% $22

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Bloomington, IN

$39 * 1.7% 33.3% $20

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 $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,484 in Bloomington, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $50.0 in Bloomington, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $337 per month, with Bloomington, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IN

🕒 Local time

03:34 3:34 AM

04:34 4:34 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

69,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Bloomington, IN 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bloomington, IN

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 Bloomington, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bloomington, IN 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 Bloomington, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,484 in Bloomington, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,376 in Bloomington, IN – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bloomington, IN runs roughly 40% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,376 in Bloomington, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bloomington, IN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bloomington, IN the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bloomington, IN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,376 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bloomington, IN hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Bloomington, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bloomington, IN 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.