Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Boise, ID

For one person, living costs are similar in Austin, TX and in Boise, ID: $2,663 and $2,610 a month, rent and utilities included.

130

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

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Boise, ID

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 Boise, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,610 in Boise, ID.

Austin, TX $2,663
Boise, ID $2,610

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,672 in Boise, ID.

Austin, TX $4,133
Boise, ID $3,672

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,735 in Boise, ID.

Austin, TX $5,603
Boise, ID $4,735

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 2% more expensive than in Boise, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Boise, ID 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$19.78 $19.78

5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$71.3 $71.3

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$13.07 $13.07

-5.74%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$6.08 $6.08

-7.40%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.71 $2.71

37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.98 $1.98

26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.92 $6.92

16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.59 $6.59

36.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.98 $0.98

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.74 $3.74

0.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$6.12 $6.12

-46.73%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.42 $4.42

-5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$16.09 $16.09

-19.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$11.12 $11.12

27.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$17.27 $17.27

-6.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.96 $4.96

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.76 $1.76

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.02 $4.02

12.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.80 $4.80

-9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.88 $2.88

-10.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.58 $2.58

-8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.31 $2.31

-22.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.42 $2.42

-8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.10 $9.10

8.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.82 $15.82

-4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.13 $2.13

37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.33 $3.33

3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.52 $1.52

-1.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$41.35 $41.35

0.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.59 $2.59

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.47 $1.47

12.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$23.87 $23.87

47.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.16 $1.16

-18.10%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.6K $36.6K

-1.50%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.0K $25.0K

8.13%

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

$229 $229

$176 $176

30.00%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$56.1 $56.1

5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$75.2 $75.2

-7.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$39.55 $39.55

44.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$37.29 $37.29

-56.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$12.60 $12.60

13.33%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$959 $959

57.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$24.1K $24.1K

-11.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$53.0 $53.0

-0.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$41.26 $41.26

6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$90.1 $90.1

-5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$110 $110

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,613 $1,613

18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,289 $1,289

-1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,489 $2,489

47.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,800 $1,800

40.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$7,339 $7,339

3.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$3,126 $3,126

1.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$4,233 $4,233

20.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.68

1.65%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Boise, ID: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Boise, ID

$1.3K 49.4% 1.2% $15

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Boise, ID

$422 16.2% 4.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Boise, ID

$307 11.8% 14.2% $51

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Boise, ID

$337 12.9% 4.8% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Boise, ID

$133 5.1% 3.6% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Boise, ID

$65 2.5% 24.5% $21

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Boise, ID

$57 2.2% 2.3% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,613 in Boise, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 21% 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 $71.0 in Boise, ID. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $422, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🕒 Local time

09:43 9:43 AM

08:43 8:43 AM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

235,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Boise, ID 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Boise, ID

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 Boise, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boise, ID wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Boise, ID the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% 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 $1,613 in Boise, ID. 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 $2,610 in Boise, ID – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Boise, ID runs roughly 1% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Boise, ID 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.

Expats usually find Boise, ID gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.