Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ellicott City, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ellicott City, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,646 in Austin, TX versus $2,538 in Ellicott City, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,220 in Austin, TX versus $3,833 in Ellicott City, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,794 in Austin, TX versus $5,128 in Ellicott City, MD.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 4% more expensive than in Ellicott City, MD, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 92% above, Ellicott City, MD 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$18.15 $18.15

9.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$97.7 $97.7

-14.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.27 $12.27

$10.85 $10.85

13.09%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$5.12 $5.12

9.96%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$3.45 $3.45

4.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.60 $2.60

-8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.80 $6.80

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.10 $9.10

$7.76 $7.76

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.26 $1.26

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$4.02 $4.02

-9.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.27 $4.27

-22.48%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$4.78 $4.78

-7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$17.80 $17.80

-26.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$12.61 $12.61

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 $17.42

$19.10 $19.10

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$5.59 $5.59

-17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.90 $1.90

-23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.78 $4.78

-0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$4.79 $4.79

3.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.68 $2.68

12.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.81 $2.81

-2.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.30 $2.30

-15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.27 $2.27

-3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 $9.26

$10.66 $10.66

-13.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$15.90 $15.90

-6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.77 $2.77

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.08 $3.08

16.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.10 $2.10

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.85 $1.85

52.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.21 $1.21

31.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 $34.68

$24.46 $24.46

41.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.99 $0.99

-4.04%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$34.5K $34.5K

3.36%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

5.46%

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

$229 $229

$164 $164

39.59%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$52.6 $52.6

11.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 $69.3

$78.8 $78.8

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 $65.8

$42.34 $42.34

55.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 $14.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.86 $13.86

$16.63 $16.63

-16.66%

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

$1,501 $1,501

$1,606 $1,606

-6.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$35.3K $35.3K

-40.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$51.5 $51.5

4.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 $44.41

$63.0 $63.0

-29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 $90.8

$92.3 $92.3

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$111 $111

-2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$1,609 $1,609

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$1,277 $1,277

-0.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,776 $3,776

$2,534 $2,534

48.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$2,151 $2,151

20.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,340 $7,340

$2,743 $2,743

167.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,231 $3,231

$2,417 $2,417

33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

$5,081 $5,081

-0.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.26

2.88%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,931 in Austin, TX and $1,609 in Ellicott City, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ellicott City, MD pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $84.0 in Austin, TX vs $98.0 in Ellicott City, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $419 vs $447 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 Ellicott City, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ellicott City, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ellicott City, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Ellicott City, MD. 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: $1,931 in Austin, TX versus $1,609 in Ellicott City, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,501 in Austin, TX versus $1,606 in Ellicott City, MD. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ellicott City, MD – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $84.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Ellicott City, MD 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.

Expats usually find Ellicott City, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.