Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Des Plaines, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,607 a month against $3,020 in Des Plaines, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
145

Cost of Living Index in Des Plaines, IL
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Des Plaines, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Des Plaines, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Des Plaines, IL

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 Des Plaines, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Austin, TX versus $3,020 in Des Plaines, IL.

Austin, TX $2,607
Des Plaines, IL $3,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,031 in Austin, TX versus $4,447 in Des Plaines, IL.

Austin, TX $4,031
Des Plaines, IL $4,447

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,454 in Austin, TX versus $5,874 in Des Plaines, IL.

Austin, TX $5,454
Des Plaines, IL $5,874

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 14% less than in Des Plaines, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Des Plaines, IL 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$20.52 $20.52

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$91.6 $91.6

-7.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$13.23 $13.23

-8.39%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.69 $5.69

-0.70%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$2.68 $2.68

37.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.27 $2.27

3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.85 $6.85

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.19 $8.19

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.99 $0.99

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.59 $3.59

2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.36 $4.36

-24.08%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$4.17 $4.17

-0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$14.87 $14.87

-12.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.45 $13.45

3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$17.98 $17.98

-9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.59 $4.59

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.57 $1.57

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.03 $4.03

26.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.83 $4.83

-6.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.67 $2.67

15.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.72 $2.72

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.16 $2.16

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.44 $2.44

-9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.74 $10.74

-7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.81 $14.81

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.65 $2.65

9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.34 $3.34

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.03 $2.03

-39.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.53 $40.53

$59.3 $59.3

-31.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.19 $3.19

-12.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.36 $1.36

21.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 $35.39

$24.67 $24.67

43.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.03 $1.03

-7.77%

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

$34.2K $34.2K

$30.3K $30.3K

13.04%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.55%

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

$223 $223

$194 $194

14.68%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$60.9 $60.9

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$79.0 $79.0

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 $53.0

$124 $124

-57.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.75 $16.75

$40.18 $40.18

-58.31%

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$14.87 $14.87

-5.45%

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

$1,459 $1,459

$1,664 $1,664

-12.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

-9.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 $52.5

$64.7 $64.7

-18.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$50.1 $50.1

-14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$102 $102

-14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$121 $121

-14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$2,142 $2,142

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,230 $1,230

$1,541 $1,541

-20.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,863 $3,863

$3,946 $3,946

-2.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$2,531 $2,531

-4.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,426 $7,426

$3,261 $3,261

127.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,060 $3,060

$2,479 $2,479

23.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$6,110 $6,110

-15.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.79

0.44%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2%

Des Plaines, IL

$1.5K 51% 25.2% $310

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$410 15.7%

Des Plaines, IL

$419 13.9% 2.3% $9.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$353 13.5%

Des Plaines, IL

$334 11.1% 5.2% $18

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.4%

Des Plaines, IL

$343 11.3% 1.6% $5.6

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.9%

Des Plaines, IL

$152 5% 18.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$81 3.1%

Des Plaines, IL

$153 5.1% 88.8% $72

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$56 2.2%

Des Plaines, IL

$77 2.6% 37.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,112 in Austin, TX and $2,142 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 18% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $85 in Austin, TX vs $92 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $419 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Des Plaines, IL

🕒 Local time

10:50 10:50 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

60,675

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Des Plaines, IL 1,580 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Des Plaines, IL

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 Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Des Plaines, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Austin, TX. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,112 in Austin, TX versus $2,142 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,459 in Austin, TX versus $1,664 in Des Plaines, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Austin, TX – a meal for two runs $85 versus $92 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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.

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