Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bothell, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,183 in Bothell, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
154

Cost of Living Index in Bothell, WA
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Bothell, WA Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Bothell, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,183

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bothell, WA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,183 in Bothell, WA.

Austin, TX $2,607
Bothell, WA $3,183

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $4,942 in Bothell, WA.

Austin, TX $4,031
Bothell, WA $4,942

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $6,700 in Bothell, WA.

Austin, TX $5,454
Bothell, WA $6,700

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 18% less than in Bothell, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Bothell, WA 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$25.19 $25.19

-19.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$92.6 $92.6

-8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$14.97 $14.97

-19.04%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.58 $6.58

-14.13%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$3.08 $3.08

19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.61 $2.61

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.99 $7.99

-1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.18 $8.18

7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.16 $1.16

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.13 $4.13

-10.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$5.73 $5.73

-42.23%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$5.65 $5.65

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$15.99 $15.99

-18.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$15.91 $15.91

-12.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$22.83 $22.83

-28.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.16 $5.16

-9.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.87 $1.87

-22.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.30 $5.30

-3.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.44 $5.44

-16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.55 $3.55

-13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.99 $2.99

-20.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.26 $2.26

-20.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.86 $2.86

-22.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.19 $12.19

-18.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.89 $14.89

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.61 $2.61

11.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.89 $4.89

-31.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.97 $2.97

-58.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$101 $101

-59.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.61 $2.61

6.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.71 $1.71

-3.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$30.52 $30.52

15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.39 $1.39

-31.65%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$30.2K $30.2K

13.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.2K $27.2K

-1.53%

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

$223 $223

$233 $233

-4.44%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$48.56 $48.56

20.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$78.6 $78.6

-9.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$58.2 $58.2

-8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$11.99 $11.99

39.70%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.90 $14.90

-5.64%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$2,068 $2,068

-29.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$31.0K $31.0K

-31.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$61.4 $61.4

-14.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$45.12 $45.12

-5.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$115 $115

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$163 $163

-36.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,923 $1,923

9.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,541 $1,541

-20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,463 $3,463

11.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$3,052 $3,052

-21.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$5,922 $5,922

25.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$4,920 $4,920

-37.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,220 $6,220

-16.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.68

2.10%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bothell, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Bothell, WA

$1.5K 48.4% 25.2% $311

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Bothell, WA

$492 15.5% 20.2% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Bothell, WA

$361 11.3% 2.2% $7.9

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Bothell, WA

$404 12.7% 16.2% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Bothell, WA

$173 5.4% 34.7% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Bothell, WA

$88 2.8% 8.4% $6.8

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Bothell, WA

$124 3.9% 119% $67

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,923 in Bothell, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bothell, WA pays 20% 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 in Austin, TX vs $93 in Bothell, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $492 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Bothell, WA

🕒 Local time

09:01 9:01 AM

07:01 7:01 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

48,161

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Bothell, WA 2,850 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bothell, WA

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 Bothell, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Bothell, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Austin, TX. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,923 in Bothell, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,183 in Bothell, WA – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 60% less than in Bothell, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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.

It comes down to priorities – Austin, TX wins on affordability, Bothell, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.