Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Boulder, CO

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,518 in Boulder, CO.

Austin, TX $2,698
Boulder, CO $3,518

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,103 in Boulder, CO.

Austin, TX $4,160
Boulder, CO $5,103

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,689 in Boulder, CO.

Austin, TX $5,622
Boulder, CO $6,689

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 23% less than in Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Boulder, CO 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.81 $19.81

4.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$79.3 $79.3

6.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$15.07 $15.07

-19.91%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.56 $5.56

-1.44%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$3.70 $3.70

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.88 $2.88

-14.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.09 $7.09

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.84 $8.84

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.18 $1.18

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.55 $5.55

-32.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$6.50 $6.50

-48.15%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$5.53 $5.53

-21.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.85 $11.85

10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$10.91 $10.91

29.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$17.35 $17.35

-5.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.93 $5.93

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.35 $6.35

-25.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$6.09 $6.09

-31.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.92 $3.92

-34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.84 $3.84

-38.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.35 $3.35

-47.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.65 $2.65

-19.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.24 $10.24

-1.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$17.23 $17.23

-11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.86 $1.86

51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.94 $4.94

-30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.82 $2.82

-45.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$152 $152

-73.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.43 $2.43

15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.38 $1.38

15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$24.21 $24.21

41.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.08 $1.08

-12.96%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

23.68%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.47%

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

$223 $223

$279 $279

-20.20%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$72.1 $72.1

-18.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$74.2 $74.2

-4.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$83.1 $83.1

-30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.21 $20.21

-18.21%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$16.72 $16.72

-14.71%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,633 $1,633

-7.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$31.2K $31.2K

-33.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$69.2 $69.2

-25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$48.21 $48.21

-8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$92.2 $92.2

-5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$144 $144

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,374 $2,374

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,825 $1,825

-27.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,307 $4,307

-14.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$3,069 $3,069

-16.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$4,420 $4,420

66.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$4,495 $4,495

-30.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$5,629 $5,629

-6.09%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9% 38.6% $508

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4% 15.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1% 20.8% $73

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Boulder, CO

$350 10% 0% $0.2

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5% 23.1% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3% 35.2% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9% 198% $115

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,374 in Boulder, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boulder, CO pays 6% 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 $79.0 in Boulder, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $470, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

20:23 8:23 PM

19:23 7:23 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

106,803

💱 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 Boulder, CO 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Boulder, CO

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 Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Boulder, CO. 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 6% lower in Boulder, CO. 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,374 in Boulder, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,518 in Boulder, CO – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 271% less than in Boulder, CO. 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 work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Boulder, CO 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Boulder, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.