Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Burnsville, MN: $2,552 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Burnsville, MN
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Burnsville, MN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Burnsville, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,552

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,552 in Burnsville, MN.

Austin, TX $2,698
Burnsville, MN $2,552

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,598 in Burnsville, MN.

Austin, TX $4,160
Burnsville, MN $3,598

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,644 in Burnsville, MN.

Austin, TX $5,622
Burnsville, MN $4,644

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 6% more expensive than in Burnsville, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Burnsville, MN 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$15.47 $15.47

33.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$67.6 $67.6

25.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.83 $9.83

22.79%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.01 $5.01

9.38%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.79 $2.79

36.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.45 $2.45

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.06 $6.06

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.53 $7.53

17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.95 $0.95

16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.93 $3.93

-5.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.81 $3.81

-11.55%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.70 $3.70

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$9.72 $9.72

35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.39 $12.39

14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$19.26 $19.26

-15.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.93 $4.93

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.35 $4.35

8.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.29 $4.29

-3.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.90 $3.90

-33.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.74 $3.74

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.59 $2.59

-31.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.69 $1.69

26.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$12.91 $12.91

-21.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$8.07 $8.07

88.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.68 $1.68

67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.46 $3.46

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.04 $2.04

-24.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$83.9 $83.9

-51.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.51 $2.51

11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$23.60 $23.60

45.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.99 $0.99

-5.05%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

23.58%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.59%

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

$223 $223

$232 $232

-3.87%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$50.4 $50.4

16.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$65.2 $65.2

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$45.48 $45.48

26.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$12.94 $12.94

10.20%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,456 $1,456

3.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

-25.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$45.06 $45.06

13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$50.5 $50.5

-12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$81.4 $81.4

6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$112 $112

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,444 $1,444

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,240 $1,240

6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,014 $2,014

81.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,818 $1,818

41.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$3,087 $3,087

138.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,227 $2,227

40.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,752 $3,752

40.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.61

2.72%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Burnsville, MN: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Burnsville, MN

$1.2K 48.6% 5.8% $76

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Burnsville, MN

$381 14.9% 6.1% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Burnsville, MN

$347 13.6% 1.4% $5

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Burnsville, MN

$280 11% 20.1% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Burnsville, MN

$130 5.1% 0.8% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Burnsville, MN

$71 2.8% 17.2% $15

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Burnsville, MN

$103 4% 77.1% $45

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,444 in Burnsville, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 41% 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 $68.0 in Burnsville, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $381 per month, with Burnsville, MN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Burnsville, MN

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

60,306

💱 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 Burnsville, MN 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Burnsville, 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 Burnsville, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burnsville, MN wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burnsville, MN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,444 in Burnsville, MN. 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 $2,552 in Burnsville, MN – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Burnsville, MN runs roughly 105% 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 $2,500. Burnsville, 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Burnsville, MN 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 Burnsville, MN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.