Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,721 in Breckenridge, CO, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Breckenridge, CO outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,698
/mo nomad
Breckenridge, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,721
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Breckenridge, 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 Breckenridge, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,721 in Breckenridge, CO.

  • Austin, TX $2,698
  • Breckenridge, CO $3,721

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $5,217 in Breckenridge, CO.

  • Austin, TX $4,160
  • Breckenridge, CO $5,217

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,712 in Breckenridge, CO.

  • Austin, TX $5,622
  • Breckenridge, CO $6,712

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 28% less than in Breckenridge, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Breckenridge, CO 175% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.63 $20.63
$16.68 $16.68
23.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$79.0 $79.0
7.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.07 $12.07
$10.97 $10.97
10.03%
Cappuccino
$5.48 $5.48
$6.03 $6.03
-9.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 $3.80
$2.46 $2.46
54.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$2.07 $2.07
19.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$6.81 $6.81
18.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.88 $8.88
$7.18 $7.18
23.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.03 $1.03
7.77%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.88 $2.88
29.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.74 $2.74
22.99%
Eggs
$4.32 $4.32
$4.17 $4.17
3.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.13 $13.13
$11.04 $11.04
18.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.15 $14.15
$9.37 $9.37
51.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.33 $16.33
$15.63 $15.63
4.48%
Apples (1kg)
$4.55 $4.55
$4.90 $4.90
-7.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.49 $1.49
-2.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$4.52 $4.52
4.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$4.97 $4.97
-16.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.54 $3.54
-27.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.70 $1.70
38.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.06 $2.06
-14.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.73 $1.73
23.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.10 $10.10
$10.32 $10.32
-2.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.19 $15.19
$16.67 $16.67
-8.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.57 $2.57
9.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.67 $2.67
28.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.54 $1.54
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.99 $40.99
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.45 $2.45
14.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 $1.60
$1.82 $1.82
-12.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.34 $34.34
$25.39 $25.39
35.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 $0.94
$1.03 $1.03
-8.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.0K $34.0K
$25.5K $25.5K
33.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$25.7K $25.7K
4.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$223 $223
$207 $207
7.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.9 $58.9
$57.2 $57.2
2.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$68.1 $68.1
3.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.7 $57.7
$69.8 $69.8
-17.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53 $16.53
$28.21 $28.21
-41.40%
Cinema Ticket
$14.26 $14.26
$11.97 $11.97
19.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,511 $1,511
$1,305 $1,305
15.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K $20.9K
$12.4K $12.4K
67.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$58.9 $58.9
-12.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.17 $44.17
$30.22 $30.22
46.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$79.0 $79.0
10.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 $104
$119 $119
-11.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,940 $1,940
$2,928 $2,928
-33.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,316 $1,316
$2,485 $2,485
-47.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$5,803 $5,803
-36.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,565 $2,565
$3,961 $3,961
-35.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,354 $7,354
$8,290 $8,290
-11.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,129 $3,129
$8,264 $8,264
-62.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Breckenridge, CO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,286 $5,286
$6,272 $6,272
-15.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
6.77
0.30%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Breckenridge, CO: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Breckenridge, CO
$2.5K 88.8% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$406
Breckenridge, CO
$365 10.2% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$352
Breckenridge, CO
$332 5.7% $20
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$350
Breckenridge, CO
$305 12.8% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Breckenridge, CO
$129 0% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Breckenridge, CO
$94 8.7% $7.5
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$58
Breckenridge, CO
$12 * 80% $46

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,928 in Breckenridge, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Breckenridge, CO pays 19% 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 Breckenridge, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $365 per month, with Breckenridge, CO cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇺🇸 Breckenridge, CO
🕒 Local time
09:24 9:24 AM
08:24 8:24 AM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
5,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Breckenridge, CO 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Breckenridge, 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 Breckenridge, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Breckenridge, CO?
Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Breckenridge, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Breckenridge, CO?
On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Breckenridge, CO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Breckenridge, CO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,928 in Breckenridge, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Breckenridge, CO?
Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,305 in Breckenridge, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Breckenridge, CO?
Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $79.0 in Breckenridge, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Austin, TX or in Breckenridge, CO?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Breckenridge, CO?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Breckenridge, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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