Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and East Rutherford, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and East Rutherford, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,092 in East Rutherford, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,525 in East Rutherford, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,958 in East Rutherford, NJ.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 30% more expensive than East Rutherford, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, East Rutherford, NJ 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$16.95 $16.95

17.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$101 $101

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$13.15 $13.15

-22.97%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.97 $4.97

10.46%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.36 $2.36

15.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.02 $2.02

5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.91 $6.91

-12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$8.20 $8.20

-1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.88 $3.88

-13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.17 $5.17

-33.85%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.81 $4.81

-10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$9.73 $9.73

21.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$10.41 $10.41

2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$17.09 $17.09

-15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$4.85 $4.85

-1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.70 $1.70

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.90 $3.90

15.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$4.29 $4.29

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.83 $2.83

-2.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.91 $3.91

-28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.49 $2.49

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$13.73 $13.73

-32.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.09 $15.09

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.75 $1.75

30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.62 $3.62

-2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.02 $2.02

-24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.96 $2.96

44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.41 $1.41

29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$24.22 $24.22

46.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.96 $0.96

-19.79%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$29.0K $29.0K

-11.67%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.3K $25.3K

4.12%

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

$172 $172

$127 $127

35.82%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$43.50 $43.50

38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$64.6 $64.6

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.78 $43.78

43.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$16.89 $16.89

-12.79%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$1,383 $1,383

1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$23.2K $23.2K

-6.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$37.00 $37.00

49.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$24.30 $24.30

87.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$73.6 $73.6

17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$135 $135

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,103 $1,103

103.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$939 $939

49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,804 $2,804

34.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,320 $2,320

16.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$2,359 $2,359

209.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,532 $2,532

31.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

$5,118 $5,118

-4.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.62

-2.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for East Rutherford, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,103 in East Rutherford, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

East Rutherford, NJ pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $101 in East Rutherford, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $393 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

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 East Rutherford, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

East Rutherford, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making East Rutherford, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, East Rutherford, NJ earns 4% less. 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,103 in East Rutherford, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $1,383 in East Rutherford, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in East Rutherford, NJ – a meal for two runs $101 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,092 in East Rutherford, NJ versus $2,719 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in East Rutherford, NJ but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes East Rutherford, NJ 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.

Expats usually find East Rutherford, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.