Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Brainerd, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Brainerd, MN: $2,445 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Brainerd, MN
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Brainerd, MN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Brainerd, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Brainerd, MN

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,445 in Brainerd, MN.

Austin, TX $2,663
Brainerd, MN $2,445

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $3,439 in Brainerd, MN.

Austin, TX $4,133
Brainerd, MN $3,439

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $4,433 in Brainerd, MN.

Austin, TX $5,603
Brainerd, MN $4,433

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 9% more expensive than in Brainerd, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Brainerd, MN 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$14.72 $14.72

41.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$37.45 $37.45

125.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.12 $10.12

21.74%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.93 $1.93

191.71%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.10 $2.10

77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.99 $1.99

25.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.95 $5.95

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$6.02 $6.02

49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.97 $0.97

15.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.19 $3.19

17.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.40 $3.40

-4.12%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.54 $2.54

64.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.74 $9.74

32.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.71 $9.71

45.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.01 $13.01

24.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.92 $4.92

-11.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.15 $1.15

26.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.23 $6.23

-27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$4.95 $4.95

-12.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.82 $3.82

-32.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.56 $3.56

-33.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.00 $2.00

-11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.73 $1.73

28.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.06 $12.06

-18.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.26 $13.26

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.71 $1.71

70.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.54 $3.54

-2.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$40.39 $40.39

3.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.55 $2.55

7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.58 $1.58

5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$30.90 $30.90

14.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.87 $0.87

9.20%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

0.85%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

6.85%

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

$229 $229

$226 $226

1.36%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$44.47 $44.47

33.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$60.3 $60.3

15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$42.14 $42.14

35.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$8.80 $8.80

62.27%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$1,186 $1,186

26.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$27.9K $27.9K

-23.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$40.57 $40.57

30.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$40.14 $40.14

9.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$60.5 $60.5

40.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$64.4 $64.4

59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,612 $1,612

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,321 $1,321

-3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,516 $2,516

45.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$2,157 $2,157

17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$2,373 $2,373

220.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,390 $2,390

32.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.31

7.61%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Brainerd, MN: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Brainerd, MN

$1.3K 54.1% 3.7% $47

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Brainerd, MN

$353 14.4% 12.8% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Brainerd, MN

$331 13.5% 7.7% $28

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Brainerd, MN

$229 9.4% 35.2% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Brainerd, MN

$93 3.8% 27.7% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Brainerd, MN

$60 2.4% 30.4% $26

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Brainerd, MN

$59 2.4% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,612 in Brainerd, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $37.00 in Brainerd, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $353 per month, with Brainerd, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Brainerd, MN

🕒 Local time

09:31 9:31 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

13,722

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Brainerd, MN 1,810 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Brainerd, MN

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 Brainerd, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brainerd, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brainerd, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $3,668 in Brainerd, MN 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,612 in Brainerd, MN. 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 $2,445 in Brainerd, MN – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brainerd, MN runs roughly 3% 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. Brainerd, MN 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 Brainerd, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.