Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Farmington, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,273 in Farmington, NM, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Farmington, NM outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
158

Cost of Living Index in Farmington, NM
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Farmington, NM Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Farmington, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$3,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Farmington, NM

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 Farmington, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,273 in Farmington, NM.

Austin, TX $2,698
Farmington, NM $3,273

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $4,363 in Farmington, NM.

Austin, TX $4,160
Farmington, NM $4,363

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $5,453 in Farmington, NM.

Austin, TX $5,622
Farmington, NM $5,453

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 18% less than in Farmington, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Farmington, NM 142% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.90 $19.90

3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$49.34 $49.34

71.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.01 $12.01

0.50%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$6.06 $6.06

-9.57%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.42 $2.42

57.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.66 $1.66

48.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.90 $7.90

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$13.34 $13.34

-33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.98 $0.98

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.39 $3.39

9.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.43 $4.43

-23.93%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.14 $4.14

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$7.31 $7.31

79.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.09 $13.09

8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$16.86 $16.86

-3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.03 $3.03

50.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.65 $1.65

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.20 $4.20

12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.80 $4.80

-13.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.82 $2.82

-8.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.91 $2.91

-19.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.17 $2.17

-18.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.29 $2.29

-6.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.21 $10.21

-1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.10 $2.10

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.14 $3.14

9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.02 $2.02

-23.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$29.47 $29.47

39.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.73 $2.73

2.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 $1.96

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$27.39 $27.39

25.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.10 $1.10

-14.55%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

9.27%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.8K $24.8K

8.06%

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

$223 $223

$397 $397

-43.95%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$57.7 $57.7

2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$115 $115

-38.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$42.26 $42.26

36.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$12.99 $12.99

9.78%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$1,444 $1,444

4.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

-2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.6 $53.6

-4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$40.64 $40.64

8.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$87.2 $87.2

-0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$116 $116

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,715 $1,715

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,721 $1,721

-23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,577 $2,577

42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,472 $2,472

3.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,147 $2,147

242.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,140 $2,140

46.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$7,129 $7,129

-25.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.57

3.35%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Farmington, NM: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Farmington, NM

$1.7K 52.6% 30.8% $405

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Farmington, NM

$379 11.6% 6.6% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Farmington, NM

$570 17.4% 61.8% $218

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Farmington, NM

$351 10.7% 0.1% $0.5

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Farmington, NM

$134 4.1% 3.6% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Farmington, NM

$68 2.1% 20.9% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Farmington, NM

$50 1.5% 13.5% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,715 in Farmington, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Farmington, NM pays 35% 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 $49.00 in Farmington, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $379 per month, with Farmington, NM cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Farmington, NM

🕒 Local time

23:35 11:35 PM

22:35 10:35 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

18,207

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Austin, TX Farmington, NM 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Farmington, NM

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 Farmington, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Farmington, NM. 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 35% lower in Farmington, NM. 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: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $1,715 in Farmington, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,273 in Farmington, NM – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 39% less than in Farmington, NM. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

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.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Farmington, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.