Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bolton

For one person, living is cheaper in Bolton: $2,226 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Bolton
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,226
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bolton

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,226 in Bolton.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Bolton $2,226

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,240 in Bolton.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Bolton $3,240

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,253 in Bolton.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Bolton $4,253

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 20% more expensive than in Bolton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Bolton 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$19.78 £14.84
5.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$86.0 £64.5
-1.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.50 £7.88
17.33%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$4.94 £3.71
13.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.51 £1.88
48.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.79 £1.34
39.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$7.34 £5.51
9.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.46 £4.85
39.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.67 £1.25
-32.93%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.50 £1.12
150.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.90 £1.42
71.58%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$4.10 £3.08
1.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$9.34 £7.01
38.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$8.95 £6.71
58.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$15.24 £11.43
6.43%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.14 £2.36
37.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.88 £1.41
-22.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$3.05 £2.29
47.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$3.48 £2.61
24.71%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.50 £1.13
72.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.66 £1.24
41.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.20 £0.90
48.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.27 £0.95
74.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$23.88 £17.92
-58.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$10.39 £7.80
45.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.42 £1.81
20.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$2.94 £2.21
17.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.61 £1.96
-42.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
$48.28 £36.22
-13.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$4.05 £3.04
-32.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.18 £1.64
-23.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$23.56 £17.67
49.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.15 £1.61
-55.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$38.0K £28.5K
-5.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$41.1K £30.8K
-34.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$243 £182
-5.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$16.36 £12.27
263.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$41.64 £31.24
67.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$77.2 £57.9
-25.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$6.76 £5.07
141.57%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$13.43 £10.08
6.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$1,242 £932
21.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$19.5K £14.6K
10.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$82.9 £62.2
-36.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$42.75 £32.07
2.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$90.1 £67.6
-5.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$87.3 £65.5
18.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$1,212 £909
57.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$998 £749
27.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,884 £1,414
94.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$1,507 £1,131
68.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Bolton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$4,056 £3,043
26.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
4.99
36.07%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bolton: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Bolton
$998 21.7% $276
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Bolton
$297 26.5% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Bolton
$301 16% $58
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Bolton
$316 10.7% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Bolton
$136 6.5% $8.3
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Bolton
$104 21.2% $18
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Bolton
$74 25.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,212 in Bolton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 26% 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 $86.0 in Bolton. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $297, with Bolton cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇬🇧 Bolton
🕒 Local time
13:51 1:51 PM
19:51 7:51 PM
6 h ahead of Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
139,403
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Bolton 7,670 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Bolton

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 Bolton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Bolton?
Bolton wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bolton the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Bolton?
Average pay runs 26% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Bolton?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,212 in Bolton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Austin, TX compared to Bolton?
All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,226 in Bolton – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Austin, TX compared to Bolton?
A monthly transit pass in Bolton runs roughly 16% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Austin, TX or in Bolton?
At $2,226 in Bolton versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Bolton but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bolton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Bolton?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Bolton?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Bolton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Bolton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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