Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Caldwell, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Caldwell, TX: $2,449 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Austin, TX despite lower rent and utilities.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Caldwell, TX
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Caldwell, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Caldwell, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,449

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Caldwell, TX

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 Caldwell, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $2,449 in Caldwell, TX.

Austin, TX $2,607
Caldwell, TX $2,449

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $3,548 in Caldwell, TX.

Austin, TX $4,031
Caldwell, TX $3,548

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $4,647 in Caldwell, TX.

Austin, TX $5,454
Caldwell, TX $4,647

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Caldwell, TX 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$14.88 $14.88

36.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$60.4 $60.4

40.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$9.88 $9.88

22.67%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$3.97 $3.97

42.32%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.47 $1.47

150.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.73 $1.73

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.13 $5.13

53.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$6.05 $6.05

45.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.77 $0.77

48.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.71 $2.71

36.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.96 $3.96

-16.41%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.92 $2.92

42.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.95 $10.95

18.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$15.64 $15.64

-11.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$24.53 $24.53

-33.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.39 $4.39

6.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.77 $1.77

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.44 $4.44

15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.66 $2.66

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.16 $2.16

42.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.73 $1.73

37.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.05 $2.05

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.98 $1.98

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.61 $9.61

3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$10.68 $10.68

40.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.68 $1.68

73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.56 $3.56

-6.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.96 $1.96

-37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$51.0 $51.0

-20.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.33 $3.33

-16.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$26.34 $26.34

34.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.94 $0.94

1.06%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

29.12%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.26%

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

$223 $223

$173 $173

28.75%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$25.30 $25.30

131.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$68.5 $68.5

3.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$40.60 $40.60

30.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$9.85 $9.85

70.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.96 $14.96

-6.02%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,521 $1,521

-4.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$24.7K $24.7K

-13.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$22.35 $22.35

134.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$56.1 $56.1

-23.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$64.9 $64.9

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$96.4 $96.4

7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$1,565 $1,565

34.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,297 $1,297

-5.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$2,531 $2,531

52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,115 $2,115

13.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$2,784 $2,784

166.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,330 $2,330

31.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$1,333 $1,333

288.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.62

3.02%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Caldwell, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Caldwell, TX

$1.3K 53% 5.4% $66

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Caldwell, TX

$389 15.9% 4.9% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Caldwell, TX

$267 10.9% 24.3% $86

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Caldwell, TX

$247 10.1% 29.1% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Caldwell, TX

$108 4.4% 16% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Caldwell, TX

$71 2.9% 13.1% $11

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Caldwell, TX

$70 2.9% 24.8% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $1,565 in Caldwell, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $60 in Caldwell, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $389 per month, with Caldwell, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Caldwell, TX

🕒 Local time

06:58 6:58 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

59,996

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Caldwell, TX 100 km

From you

Austin, TX
Caldwell, TX

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 Caldwell, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caldwell, TX 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 Caldwell, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay in Austin, TX is about 3.9 times higher, 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: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $1,565 in Caldwell, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,607 per month in Austin, TX versus $2,449 in Caldwell, TX – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 21% less than in Caldwell, 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. Caldwell, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

It comes down to priorities – Caldwell, TX wins on affordability, Austin, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.