Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cleveland, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Cleveland, TN: $2,178 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 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
106

Cost of Living Index in Cleveland, TN
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Cleveland, TN Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Cleveland, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,178

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Cleveland, TN

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 Cleveland, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,178 in Cleveland, TN.

Austin, TX $2,698
Cleveland, TN $2,178

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,239 in Cleveland, TN.

Austin, TX $4,160
Cleveland, TN $3,239

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,300 in Cleveland, TN.

Austin, TX $5,622
Cleveland, TN $4,300

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 24% more expensive than in Cleveland, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Cleveland, TN 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$11.38 $11.38

81.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$37.91 $37.91

123.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.94 $9.94

21.43%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.89 $4.89

12.07%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.36 $2.36

61.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.59 $1.59

55.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.99 $5.99

34.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$7.62 $7.62

16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.85 $0.85

30.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.30 $2.30

61.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.69 $2.69

25.28%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.49 $2.49

73.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$8.87 $8.87

48.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$5.57 $5.57

154.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$10.43 $10.43

56.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.78 $3.78

20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.35 $1.35

8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.30 $3.30

42.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.95 $2.95

40.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.48 $1.48

74.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.28 $2.28

3.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.14 $2.14

-17.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.89 $1.89

13.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$8.05 $8.05

25.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$13.95 $13.95

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.66 $1.66

69.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.14 $3.14

9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.95 $1.95

-21.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$96.5 $96.5

-57.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.08 $2.08

34.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.88 $1.88

-14.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$31.95 $31.95

7.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.93 $0.93

1.08%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

32.55%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.68%

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

$223 $223

$169 $169

32.13%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$67.5 $67.5

-12.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$47.29 $47.29

49.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$24.73 $24.73

133.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$9.96 $9.96

43.17%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,520 $1,520

-0.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$8,445 $8,445

147.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$33.03 $33.03

55.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$52.9 $52.9

-16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$87.4 $87.4

-0.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$91.0 $91.0

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,576 $1,576

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,100 $1,100

19.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,388 $2,388

53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,077 $2,077

23.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,168 $2,168

239.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,246 $2,246

39.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$3,628 $3,628

45.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.82

16.67%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cleveland, TN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Cleveland, TN

$1.1K 50.5% 16.5% $217

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Cleveland, TN

$276 12.7% 32.1% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Cleveland, TN

$283 13% 19.6% $69

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Cleveland, TN

$240 11% 31.3% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Cleveland, TN

$119 5.5% 7.8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Cleveland, TN

$45 2.1% 48.2% $42

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Cleveland, TN

$116 5.3% 99.8% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,576 in Cleveland, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 46% 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 $38.00 in Cleveland, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $276 per month, with Cleveland, TN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Cleveland, TN

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

367,991

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Cleveland, TN 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Cleveland, TN

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 Cleveland, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cleveland, TN wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cleveland, TN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% 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 $1,576 in Cleveland, TN. 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 $2,178 in Cleveland, TN – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cleveland, TN runs roughly 135% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,178 in Cleveland, TN versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cleveland, TN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cleveland, TN 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.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Cleveland, TN 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 Cleveland, TN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.