Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fairmont, WV

For one person, living is cheaper in Fairmont, WV: $2,151 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Fairmont, WV
Learn more

Fairmont, WV Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Fairmont, WV

🇺🇸 United States

$2,151

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Fairmont, WV

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 Fairmont, WV actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,151 in Fairmont, WV.

Austin, TX $2,698
Fairmont, WV $2,151

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,145 in Fairmont, WV.

Austin, TX $4,160
Fairmont, WV $3,145

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,139 in Fairmont, WV.

Austin, TX $5,622
Fairmont, WV $4,139

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 25% more expensive than in Fairmont, WV, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Fairmont, WV 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$30.17 $30.17

-31.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$98.3 $98.3

-13.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$13.25 $13.25

-8.91%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.49 $5.49

-0.18%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.98 $2.98

27.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.89 $1.89

30.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.31 $6.31

27.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.07 $6.07

46.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.91 $0.91

21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.07 $1.07

214.95%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$1.73 $1.73

149.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$5.59 $5.59

134.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$6.56 $6.56

115.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.00 $11.00

48.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$4.26 $4.26

6.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.33 $1.33

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.12 $2.12

122.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.15 $2.15

93.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.97 $1.97

30.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.57 $3.57

-34.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.02 $1.02

73.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.22 $1.22

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$6.80 $6.80

48.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.39 $15.39

-1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.71 $1.71

64.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.30 $2.30

-33.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.02 $3.02

-7.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.62 $1.62

-1.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$34.30 $34.30

0.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.91 $0.91

3.30%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$19.8K $19.8K

71.95%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

6.04%

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

$223 $223

$285 $285

-21.76%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$75.7 $75.7

-22.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$101 $101

-29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$40.94 $40.94

40.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$7.67 $7.67

85.92%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,436 $1,436

5.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

-29.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$24.97 $24.97

105.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$27.65 $27.65

59.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$88.4 $88.4

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$132 $132

-21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$958 $958

102.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$814 $814

61.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,511 $1,511

142.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,229 $1,229

108.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,318 $1,318

457.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,307 $1,307

139.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,468 $4,468

18.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

35.80%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fairmont, WV: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Fairmont, WV

$814 37.8% 38.1% $502

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Fairmont, WV

$266 12.4% 34.4% $139

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Fairmont, WV

$461 21.4% 30.9% $109

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Fairmont, WV

$410 19.1% 17.2% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Fairmont, WV

$123 5.7% 4.7% $6.1

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Fairmont, WV

$56 2.6% 34.7% $30

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Fairmont, WV

$20 * 0.9% 64.9% $38

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $958 in Fairmont, WV. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 18% 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 $98.0 in Fairmont, WV. Groceries flip the comparison at $406 vs $266, with Fairmont, WV cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Fairmont, WV

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

03:37 3:37 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

19,145

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Fairmont, WV 1,900 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Fairmont, WV

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 Fairmont, WV: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fairmont, WV wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fairmont, WV the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 18% 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 $958 in Fairmont, WV. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $1,436 in Fairmont, WV. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fairmont, WV – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,151 in Fairmont, WV versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fairmont, WV but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Fairmont, WV 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 Fairmont, WV gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.