Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Branson, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Branson, MO: $2,056 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Branson, MO
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Branson, MO Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Branson, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Branson, MO

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $2,056 in Branson, MO.

Austin, TX $2,663
Branson, MO $2,056

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,975 in Branson, MO.

Austin, TX $4,133
Branson, MO $2,975

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,895 in Branson, MO.

Austin, TX $5,603
Branson, MO $3,895

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 30% more expensive than in Branson, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Branson, MO 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$20.17 $20.17

2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$61.0 $61.0

38.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.59 $10.59

16.34%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.02 $5.02

12.15%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.46 $1.46

154.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.97 $0.97

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.91 $3.91

105.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.02 $5.02

79.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.21 $1.21

-7.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.38 $3.38

10.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.08 $3.08

5.84%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$4.14 $4.14

0.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$7.91 $7.91

63.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$9.05 $9.05

56.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.72 $13.72

18.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.40 $4.40

-1.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.59 $1.59

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.26 $2.26

99.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.70 $5.70

-23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.14 $2.14

20.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.17 $2.17

8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.48 $1.48

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.06 $2.06

7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$6.84 $6.84

44.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$13.06 $13.06

15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.03 $2.03

43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.99 $2.99

15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.06 $2.06

-27.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.46 $2.46

10.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.21 $1.21

37.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$60.6 $60.6

-41.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.02 $1.02

-6.86%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$35.1K $35.1K

2.62%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$24.4K $24.4K

11.16%

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

$229 $229

$106 $106

115.36%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$64.9 $64.9

-8.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$71.8 $71.8

-2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$44.22 $44.22

29.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.88 $11.88

37.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$14.92 $14.92

-4.29%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$798 $798

88.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$21.3K $21.3K

0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$30.55 $30.55

72.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$43.14 $43.14

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$74.4 $74.4

14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$147 $147

-30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,056 $1,056

80.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$958 $958

32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,664 $1,664

120.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,414 $1,414

79.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.56

3.51%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Branson, MO: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Branson, MO

$958 46.6% 24.8% $316

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Branson, MO

$338 16.4% 16.6% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Branson, MO

$243 11.8% 32.2% $115

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Branson, MO

$293 14.2% 17.3% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Branson, MO

$133 6.5% 3.9% $4.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Branson, MO

$74 3.6% 13.7% $12

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Branson, MO

$17 * 0.8% 71.5% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,056 in Branson, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $61.0 in Branson, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $338 per month, with Branson, MO cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Branson, MO

🕒 Local time

23:26 11:26 PM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

12,746

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Branson, MO 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Branson, MO

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 Branson, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Branson, MO wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Branson, MO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $3,083 in Branson, MO 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 $1,056 in Branson, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $798 in Branson, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Branson, MO – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,056 in Branson, MO versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Branson, MO but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Branson, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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