Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Fenton, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Fenton, MI: $2,288 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
112

Cost of Living Index in Fenton, MI
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Fenton, MI Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Fenton, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,288

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Fenton, MI

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 Fenton, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $2,288 in Fenton, MI.

Austin, TX $2,698
Fenton, MI $2,288

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $3,373 in Fenton, MI.

Austin, TX $4,160
Fenton, MI $3,373

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $4,459 in Fenton, MI.

Austin, TX $5,622
Fenton, MI $4,459

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 18% more expensive than in Fenton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Fenton, MI 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$19.67 $19.67

4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$74.5 $74.5

13.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.96 $9.96

21.18%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$4.41 $4.41

24.26%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$2.90 $2.90

31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.76 $1.76

40.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.83 $5.83

38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$6.45 $6.45

37.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.75 $0.75

48.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.15 $2.15

73.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.73 $2.73

23.44%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.11 $4.11

5.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$6.54 $6.54

100.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$4.30 $4.30

229.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.12 $11.12

46.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.23 $2.23

104.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.33 $1.33

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.25 $2.25

109.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.91 $1.91

117.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.12 $1.12

130.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.72 $0.72

226.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.72 $0.72

145.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.46 $1.46

46.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.43 $10.43

-3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$9.83 $9.83

54.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.99 $1.99

41.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.50 $2.50

37.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.29 $2.29

-32.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.64 $4.64

-39.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.96 $1.96

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$31.67 $31.67

8.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.02 $1.02

-7.84%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

24.26%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.36%

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

$223 $223

$129 $129

72.08%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$39.66 $39.66

48.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$59.5 $59.5

18.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$41.74 $41.74

38.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$13.33 $13.33

6.98%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$917 $917

64.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$21.1K $21.1K

-1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$40.66 $40.66

26.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$77.2 $77.2

-42.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$101 $101

-13.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$116 $116

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,615 $1,615

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,287 $1,287

2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,679 $1,679

118.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,167 $2,167

18.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$2,859 $2,859

157.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,646 $2,646

18.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,900 $4,900

7.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.5

4.46%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fenton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Fenton, MI

$1.3K 56.3% 2.2% $29

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Fenton, MI

$228 10% 43.7% $178

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Fenton, MI

$229 10% 35.1% $124

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Fenton, MI

$301 13.2% 14.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Fenton, MI

$151 6.6% 16.8% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Fenton, MI

$68 3% 20.7% $18

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Fenton, MI

$24 * 1% 59.2% $34

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 $1,615 in Fenton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 8% 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 $74.0 in Fenton, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $228 per month, with Fenton, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Fenton, MI

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

11,000

💱 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 Fenton, MI 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Fenton, MI

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 Fenton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fenton, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fenton, MI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $1,615 in Fenton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $917 in Fenton, MI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fenton, MI – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,288 in Fenton, MI versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fenton, MI but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Fenton, MI 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 Fenton, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.