Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Elkhart, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Elkhart, IN: $1,867 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Elkhart, IN
Learn more

Elkhart, IN Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Elkhart, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,867

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Elkhart, IN

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 Elkhart, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,867 in Elkhart, IN.

Austin, TX $2,663
Elkhart, IN $1,867

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,726 in Elkhart, IN.

Austin, TX $4,133
Elkhart, IN $2,726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $3,585 in Elkhart, IN.

Austin, TX $5,603
Elkhart, IN $3,585

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 43% more expensive than in Elkhart, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 97% above, Elkhart, IN 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$10.18 $10.18

104.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$39.96 $39.96

111.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.90 $9.90

24.44%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.73 $1.73

225.43%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.76 $2.76

34.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.57 $1.57

59.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.72 $3.72

116.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$5.35 $5.35

68.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.85 $0.85

31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.24 $1.24

202.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.92 $1.92

69.79%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.87 $2.87

45.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$4.65 $4.65

177.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$16.30 $16.30

-13.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$15.54 $15.54

4.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.47 $3.47

24.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.47 $1.47

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.48 $1.48

204.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.35 $1.35

221.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.43 $0.43

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.26 $2.26

3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.47 $1.47

21.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.97 $2.97

-25.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.36 $8.36

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$12.23 $12.23

23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.30 $2.30

26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.92 $4.92

-29.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$25.15 $25.15

65.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$9.93 $9.93

-72.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.04 $3.04

-45.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$9.98 $9.98

253.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.86 $0.86

10.47%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$34.6K $34.6K

4.26%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

5.30%

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

$229 $229

$232 $232

-1.46%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$65.5 $65.5

-9.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$52.2 $52.2

33.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$15.16 $15.16

277.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$5.04 $5.04

224.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$11.16 $11.16

27.96%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$645 $645

133.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$34.84 $34.84

51.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$15.27 $15.27

186.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$68.4 $68.4

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$80.5 $80.5

27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$1,004 $1,004

89.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$847 $847

50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,505 $1,505

143.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,526 $1,526

66.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

$6,925 $6,925

9.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

$4,330 $4,330

-27.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$3,426 $3,426

49.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.39

6.26%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Elkhart, IN: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Elkhart, IN

$847 45.4% 33.5% $427

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Elkhart, IN

$314 16.8% 22.4% $91

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Elkhart, IN

$350 18.8% 2.3% $8.2

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Elkhart, IN

$178 9.6% 49.6% $175

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Elkhart, IN

$90 4.8% 30% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Elkhart, IN

$37 2% 56.3% $48

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Elkhart, IN

$50 * 2.7% 14.3% $8.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $1,004 in Elkhart, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 49% 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 $40.00 in Elkhart, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $314 per month, with Elkhart, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Elkhart, IN

🕒 Local time

22:25 10:25 PM

23:25 11:25 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

52,748

💱 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 Elkhart, IN 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Elkhart, IN

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 Elkhart, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Elkhart, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Elkhart, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 49% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $1,004 in Elkhart, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,867 in Elkhart, IN – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Elkhart, IN runs roughly 66% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,867 in Elkhart, IN versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Elkhart, IN but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Elkhart, IN 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 Elkhart, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.