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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,719 in Austin, TX versus $2,359 in Fenton, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Austin, TX versus $3,355 in Fenton, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,515 in Austin, TX versus $4,351 in Fenton, MI.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 15% more expensive than Fenton, MI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Fenton, MI 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$18.02 $18.02

10.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$70.6 $70.6

7.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$10.97 $10.97

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.79 $4.79

14.61%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.65 $2.65

2.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.63 $1.63

31.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.89 $5.89

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.90 $6.90

16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.75 $0.75

45.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.18 $2.18

53.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.69 $2.69

27.14%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$3.24 $3.24

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$6.68 $6.68

76.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$4.46 $4.46

139.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$11.09 $11.09

30.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.15 $2.15

122.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.26 $1.26

19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.14 $2.14

110.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.92 $1.92

110.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.07 $1.07

157.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$0.77 $0.77

262.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.77 $0.77

164.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.52 $1.52

41.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.23 $9.23

$9.26 $9.26

-0.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$9.92 $9.92

49.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.76 $1.76

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.04 $2.04

-25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 $43.64

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.62 $4.62

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.41 $1.41

29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.52 $35.52

$28.05 $28.05

26.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.90 $0.90

-14.44%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

2.24%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$24.2K $24.2K

8.62%

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

$172 $172

$120 $120

43.01%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$40.71 $40.71

48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$60.2 $60.2

11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.8 $62.8

$43.38 $43.38

44.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.85 $9.85

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$10.96 $10.96

34.40%

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

$1,398 $1,398

$950 $950

47.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K $21.8K

$20.8K $20.8K

4.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$39.21 $39.21

40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$40.05 $40.05

14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$100 $100

-13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$136 $136

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,245 $2,245

$1,627 $1,627

37.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$1,346 $1,346

4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,782 $3,782

$2,646 $2,646

42.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,193 $2,193

23.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,304 $7,304

$3,014 $3,014

142.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,331 $3,331

$2,178 $2,178

52.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,910 $4,910

$5,016 $5,016

-2.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.5

-0.77%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: April 20, 2026

Last update for Fenton, MI: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,245 in Austin, TX and $1,627 in Fenton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fenton, MI pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76 in Austin, TX vs $71 in Fenton, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $227 per month, with Fenton, MI 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 Fenton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fenton, MI wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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.

On paper, Fenton, MI earns 2% less. 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: $2,245 in Austin, TX versus $1,627 in Fenton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,398 in Austin, TX versus $950 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 $71.0 versus $76.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,359 in Fenton, MI versus $2,719 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 15% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.