Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Blythewood, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Blythewood, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,715 in Austin, TX versus $2,319 in Blythewood, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,156 in Austin, TX versus $3,239 in Blythewood, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,596 in Austin, TX versus $4,159 in Blythewood, SC.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 17% more expensive than in Blythewood, SC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 98% above, Blythewood, SC 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$12.17 $12.17

61.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$40.13 $40.13

110.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.30 $12.30

$11.95 $11.95

2.93%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$2.96 $2.96

84.12%

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

$3.62 $3.62

$1.81 $1.81

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.28 $2.28

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$6.69 $6.69

18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$8.18 $8.18

8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.81 $0.81

32.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.86 $1.86

97.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.61 $4.61

-27.55%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$5.46 $5.46

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$22.92 $22.92

-43.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$14.70 $14.70

-3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.68 $16.68

$20.49 $20.49

-18.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$8.24 $8.24

-45.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.71 $1.71

-16.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.19 $5.19

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$6.85 $6.85

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.99 $4.99

-45.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.71 $3.71

-30.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.02 $2.02

-6.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.36 $3.36

-34.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.04 $10.04

$9.93 $9.93

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$14.09 $14.09

7.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.78 $2.78

5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.16 $2.16

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.52 $41.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.02 $3.02

-10.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.26 $1.26

30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.05 $35.05

$32.35 $32.35

8.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.83 $0.83

7.23%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.2K $35.2K

3.42%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.2K $25.2K

7.35%

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

$223 $223

$140 $140

59.20%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$30.27 $30.27

89.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$60.9 $60.9

12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 $65.6

$17.78 $17.78

268.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.61 $14.61

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$11.94 $11.94

16.83%

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

$1,523 $1,523

$1,284 $1,284

18.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$27.9K $27.9K

-23.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$45.30 $45.30

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

$20.06 $20.06

113.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$91.1 $91.1

-6.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$98.1 $98.1

4.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,948 $1,948

$1,428 $1,428

36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$1,126 $1,126

12.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,765 $3,765

$2,059 $2,059

82.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 $2,553

$1,708 $1,708

49.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,179 $7,179

$3,109 $3,109

130.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,140 $3,140

$2,609 $2,609

20.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,955 $4,955

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

6.07

6.59%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 14, 2026

Last update for Blythewood, SC: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,948 in Austin, TX and $1,428 in Blythewood, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $40.00 in Blythewood, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $496, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

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 Blythewood, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Blythewood, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Blythewood, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,072 in Austin, TX and $3,479 in Blythewood, SC 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: $1,948 in Austin, TX versus $1,428 in Blythewood, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,523 in Austin, TX versus $1,284 in Blythewood, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Blythewood, SC – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,319 in Blythewood, SC versus $2,715 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Blythewood, SC but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Blythewood, SC 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.

Expats usually find Blythewood, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.